Bayern Munich: 3 things to watch against Arminia Bielefeld in Bavaria
By Daniel Garza
Bayern Munich returns to Bundesliga action after a successful trip to the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar. Two victories over Al Ahly and Tigres allowed Bayern to claim their sixth title in the last 12 months. With the cup competition behind them, Bayern will now shift their focus back to the Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League.
Arminia Bielefeld is the club that awaits Bayern on Monday at the Allianz Arena. After winning their last five Bundesliga fixtures, Die Roten will be in search of their sixth consecutive victory as they host a club who find themselves amongst the relegation battle. Here are three things to watch for ahead of Monday’s match.
A well-rested opponent
Monday’s fixture will be the first time Arminia Bielefeld have played a match in February. Their match against Werder Bremen on Matchday 20 was postponed due to inclement weather and they will face Bayern having had 15 days of rest. This is the opposite of the position Bayern find themselves in entering this fixture.
Bayern played three matches in the span of seven days and have just three days of rest in between Thursday’s Club World Cup final and the match against Arminia Bielefeld. If the recent marathon of matches has any effect on Bayern it will play into the hands of Arminia Bielefeld who are very well-rested.
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Who will fill in for Thomas Muller in the Bayern attack?
After testing positive for the Coronavirus, Thomas Muller will not be available for Monday’s match. The 31-year-old has been an integral part of Bayern’s attack this season with 10 goals and 10 assists in the German top flight. His absence will certainly have an effect on the Bayern attack. Muller has scored three goals and registered two assists in his last five Bundesliga appearances and has been a big part of the recent five-match winning streak.
With Muller out of the lineup, this offers the opportunity for a player such as Jamal Musiala to fill in for the veteran playmaker. This match would be a good opportunity for Hansi Flick to start Musiala and give him the chance to make an appearance in the starting 11.
Musiala has made just two appearances in the Bundesliga for Bayern in the starting 11 this season. The 17-year-old can benefit from a match such as the one against Arminia Bielefeld. He will have pressure put on him to make an impact but it won’t be the type of pressure he’d face in a top-of-the-table clash.
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Will the clean sheets continue?
Three of Bayern’s last four Bundesliga fixtures have been clean-sheet performances. At the Club World Cup, both victories over Al Ahly and Tigres were shutouts. Bayern has certainly been picking up the pace when it comes to recording clean sheets. Monday’s match against Arminia Bielefeld is another opportunity for Die Roten to help get Manuel Neuer closer to 200 career clean sheets in the German top flight.