It was a busy, but successful week for Bayern Munich as they clinched a resounding 7-0 win over Vfl Bochum on matchday five. A result that saw the Bavarian club overtake Leverkusen at the top of the table due to a better goal difference. Harry Kane netted his first Bundesliga hat trick, while Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Matthijs de Ligt, Leroy Sane, and Mathys Tel were also on the scoresheet.
The rest was short for Bayern, as they traveled to Munster for their opening match of the DFB Pokal. Thomas Tuchel made a couple of changes to the squad for the midweek game, but the result was never in doubt. Die Roten made light work of the 3. Liga side, taking a 3-0 lead into halftime before Tel finished off the fourth for a convincing 4-0 victory.
As Matchday six of the Bundesliga approaches, Bayern is again faced with a difficult task in their quest for a 12th consecutive Bundesliga title as they travel to Leipzig to take on the ever-challenging and energetic RB Leipzig. Tuchel will be looking for a much different performance from his side than the 3-0 defeat by Leipzig in the DFL Supercup a little over a month ago. Meanwhile, Marco Rose will look to continue his great run against Bayern, as he has yet to lose to the Bavarian giants as manager of Leipzig.
Bayern Munich
While Manuel Neuer is closing on a return from injury, his recent delay still seems to have him a couple of matches away from taking back his starting spot. Expect Sven Ulreich to continue as the starting goalkeeper in the Bundesliga.
Konrad Laimer has stepped into the right-back role over Noussair Mazraoui and has added much-needed defensive stability. Chipping in with a goal during the Munster match midweek will certainly help his case. I expect to see him get the start against his old club. Despite making his first Bundesliga start of the season against Bochum and grabbing a goal, Matthijs de Ligt was unfit for the Pokal match, as were Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae. Assuming all three are fit for the match on Saturday, it would be hard to imagine Tuchel going against the Upamecano-Kim pairing that he seems to favor. Even though we finally got a glimpse of new signing Raphael Guerreiro on Tuesday, Alphonso Davies will continue showcasing why he is one of the top left-backs in the world.
Centrally, Leon Goretzka will move back into the midfield (after making a surprise appearance as a center back vs. Munster) to form the double pivot with Joshua Kimmich. In front of both, a fully fit Jamal Musiala will look to be the creative force for the Bavarians. Musiala continues to impress and I still find it hard to believe the young German is still only 20 years old.
With news that Serge Gnabry is set for a spell on the sidelines thanks to a forearm fracture sustained against Munster, Kingsley Coman will slot into the left-wing position for the next few weeks. Bayern legend Uli Hoeness praised Leroy Sane’s recent form and I’m not sure many can argue. He has started to show the talent that so many have waited to see and is really starting to look like a world-class winger in recent weeks. With Sane starting on the right, Harry Kane will be seeking his 8th Bundesliga goal in the short season as he takes his place centrally.
"Predicted Starting XI Ulreich Laimer-Upamecano-Kim-Davies Kimmich-Goretzka Sane-Musiala-Coman Kane"