Talking Tactics: TSG Hoffenheim vs Bayern Munich

MUNICH, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 05: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Pavel Kaderabek of TSG Hoffenheim and Serge Gnabry of FC Bayern Muenchen battle for the ball during the DFB Cup round of sixteen match between FC Bayern Muenchen and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at Allianz Arena on February 5, 2020 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
MUNICH, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 05: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Pavel Kaderabek of TSG Hoffenheim and Serge Gnabry of FC Bayern Muenchen battle for the ball during the DFB Cup round of sixteen match between FC Bayern Muenchen and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at Allianz Arena on February 5, 2020 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
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MUNICH, GERMANY – FEBRUARY 05: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Pavel Kaderabek of TSG Hoffenheim and Serge Gnabry of FC Bayern Muenchen battle for the ball during the DFB Cup round of sixteen match between FC Bayern Muenchen and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at Allianz Arena on February 5, 2020, in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
MUNICH, GERMANY – FEBRUARY 05: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Pavel Kaderabek of TSG Hoffenheim and Serge Gnabry of FC Bayern Muenchen battle for the ball during the DFB Cup round of sixteen match between FC Bayern Muenchen and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim at Allianz Arena on February 5, 2020, in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Bayern Munich will be looking to win their second game of the week when they travel away to Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.

Bayern Munich are in the best form of their season. The 2013 UCL winners battered Chelsea by three goals to nil in their first knockout fixture. In their prior league fixture, the Rekordmeister registered a narrow 3-2 victory against Paderborn. Hansi Flick is on a roll since the onset of the Ruckrunde as Bayern remain unbeaten since the winter break.

In their next fixture, Bayern will travel to the PreZero Arena to face Hoffenheim. It has been a rollercoaster ride for Hoffenheim this season. Their performances have been pretty sporadic. The performances in Ruckrunde have been disappointing for Alfred Schreuder. Hoffenheim have collected just seven points in their last six league games.

Hoffenheim’s previous league meeting with Bayern ended with joy for the men in blue. They earned a well deserved and hard-earned victory at Allianz Arena. Alfred Schreuder arrived with a good tactical plan in Bavaria. His side stuck to the plan till the final whistle and Hoffenheim got what they came for. This game started the end of the road for Niko Kovac at Bayern.

Bayern, nonetheless, got their revenge in the DFB Pokal clash. The Bavarians won the match by a slender one-goal margin to proceed to the quarter-finals. In today’s column, we look at the tactical highlights of their previous league fixture in Hinrunde and what should be Bayern’s tactical approach on Saturday.