Bayern Munich are having the final preparations ahead of the midweek clash with Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. There is certainly a chip on the club's shoulder after failing to make it to the finale in Berlin for five years running, let alone winning the title. Vincent Kompany's men should enter this campaign with some extra motivation. It will all begin with the opening fixture away at Brita Arena in Wiesbaden.
Bayern's opponent, Wehen Wiesbaden, plays in the 3. Liga, the third-highest division in Germany's professional setting. This will be the first-ever encounter between the two sides in a competitive match. Quality-wise, it seems like a lopsided matchup with Bayern outclassing in every position. The total market value of Wehen Wiesbaden, according to Transfermarkt, only falls around €8 million.
The number seems diminutive compared to the whopping €857 million value of the German record champions' first team squad. Their head coach, Nils Doring, encourages a route-one playstyle that emphasizes long balls and quick counterattacks. While it can be fairly detrimental to Bayern's high lines, it also means Bayern is expected to dominate the tempo of the game and flood the opposition's defensive third for goal-scoring chances.
Nevertheless, it is important to be aware of complacency. It can creep in at any time during a matchup with an inferior opponent on paper. Bayern has fallen victim to complacent attitudes many times in the DFB-Pokal in recent years, namely the gut-wrenching defeat in the second round two years ago against another third-division team, Saarbrucken. Head coach Kompany makes sure to approach the game with the right outlook:
"The most important thing is that we want to make it to Berlin. I have complete respect for the opponent."Vincent Kompany
Opportunity for fringe players
That being said, this will still be the perfect opportunity for Vincent Kompany to "rotate" the squad, although the Belgian gaffer is not a fan of such phrasing. Jonas Urbig has been confirmed to be in goal with Manuel Neuer suspended for the rash red card in last year's exit against Bayer Leverkusen. The 21-year-old has been training well and is more than prepared to make his season debut for Die Roten. Players who did not feature in the Bundesliga opener against Leipzig or are still building match fitness, such as Raphael Guerreiro and Aleksandar Pavlovic, are also likely to make the starting XI. Young talent Lennart Karl also has a good case to be one of the first names on the team sheet in this match.
A positive outing from this match can set the tone for the remainder of the cup season. Many goals and, most importantly, a clean sheet are what most Bayern loyals are looking forward to. The game will begin at 8:45 pm local time (2:45 pm EST).