After getting good results in the Bundesliga and Champions League over the past few days, Bayern Munich switch their attention towards DFB Pokal. The Bavarian club will begin their campaign in the German Cup with an away trip to Preussen Munster on Tuesday.
Bayern have been disappointing in DFB Pokal over the last three seasons. They haven’t even managed to reach the final of the competition. Thomas Tuchel will look to arrest this trend by starting the cup campaign with the best possible result. Let us look at the team news and likely starting XI Die Roten will field on Tuesday.
Team News
Matthijs de Ligt will miss the cup game on Tuesday due to a minor injury that he picked up against Bochum on Saturday. Raphael Guerreiro will finally make it to the matchday squad for Bayern after recovering from a serious injury that has kept him out since the start of July. Tuchel insisted that Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae are also doubts, but a late call will be made on the defensive duo.
Manuel Neuer continues to take positive steps towards a long-awaited return, but the game against Preussen Munster comes soon for the German international. The 37-year-old had a minor setback in training as he was previously expected to return before the end of September.
Predicted Starting XI
After the first six games of the season, Bayern will have a different player in the goal on Tuesday. While talking to the media on Monday, Thomas Tuchel confirmed that Daniel Peretz will make his Bayern debut against Preussen Munster.
In the absence of De Ligt, the center-back partnership picks itself. Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae will look to make it two consecutive clean sheets for Die Roten, provided they pass late fitness tests. Tuchel didn’t express real concern about the defensive duo, so they are more than likely to be fit for Tuesday’s game. Noussair Mazraoui will continue in the right-back position, while Frans Kratzig could get his first competitive start for Bayern.
Tuchel may give Joshua Kimmich a rare opportunity to rest on Tuesday. Konrad Laimer will start in the holding midfield role, while Leon Goretzka will occupy the number eight position. Jamal Musiala will return to the number ten position after getting a breather against Bochum.
Harry Kane has played a lot of games over the past few weeks, so it makes sense to give him a rest on Tuesday. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting will lead the line, while Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry will support him from wide positions.
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Score Prediction
Preussen Munster 0-5 Bayern Munich
Munster has endured a difficult start to the campaign. Things are unlikely to get better when Bayern visit them. After the demolition job of Bochum on Saturday, I expect Bayern to deliver another emphatic performance on Tuesday.