Bayern Munich: Three key battles against RB Leipzig
Games have been coming thick and fast for Bayern Munich since the end of the first international break. The Bavarian club is playing two games a week across three competitions. After a successful start to DFB Pokal, Bayern switch their attention to the big game against RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.
Bayern endured a humiliating 3-0 defeat against Leipzig in the DFL Supercup earlier this season. The Bavarian club has recovered from this defeat to remain unbeaten in the Bundesliga after five gameweeks. RB Leipzig has won four Bundesliga games in a row after opening-day defeat against Bayer Leverkusen. With both teams in good form, Saturday’s game will be much tighter than the one at Allianz Arena. Let us look at three individual battles that will have a big say on the outcome of the game.
Kim Min-jae vs. Benjamin Sesko
Kim Min-jae has enjoyed an impressive start to life at Bayern. The South Korean defender has seamlessly adapted to the new league and delivered very good performances in the first five league games of the season. The 26-year-old defender astutely leads the backline and wins the majority of his duels. He has also looked very smooth on the ball when the team is playing out from the back,
Min-jae will be coming up against Benjamin Sesko on Saturday. The young Slovenian forward has enjoyed a good start to the season for club and country. He is a very good finisher and can dominate defenders physically due to his huge frame. Sesko is also very adept with linking up the play, so Die Roten needs to keep him quiet on Saturday. It will be a fascinating battle to watch between physical specimens in Min-jae and Sesko.
Joshua Kimmich vs. Xavi Simmons
Xavi Simmons has hit the ground running for RB Leipzig. The Dutch attacking midfielder has been involved in seven goals (three goals and four assists) in five Bundesliga games this season. He has been the best player for RB Leipzig this season, which makes it crucial for Die Roten to stop him on Saturday for clinching all three points.
Joshua Kimmich will come up against Simmons in the midfield. The Dutch youngster plays as an attacking midfielder in a box midfield for Leipzig, while Kimmich will slot in the holding midfield role for Die Roten. Kimmich will have to give Simmons as little time as possible in the final third to reduce his impact on the game. The winner of this battle may as well end up helping their respective team to win the game. (Stats courtesy: Whoscored)
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Leroy Sane vs. David Raum
After Harry Kane, Leroy Sane has been the most impactful player for Die Roten this season. The German winger is delivering consistent performances along with having goals and assists to his name. He is currently enjoying the role on the right flank in the 4-2-3-1 system under Thomas Tuchel. Moreover, he has built a very good partnership with Harry Kane in very little time.
Sane will definitely be a player to watch out for in the heavyweight clash between Bayern and RB Leipzig. He will be coming up against his compatriot David Raum on the right flank. Raum has been involved in three goals (two goals and one assist) for Leipzig in the Bundesliga this season. The German left-back is adventurous in the final third, which may give Sane a lot of space to exploit.