Following their successful qualification for the Champions League quarter-finals, Bayern Munich shifts its focus back to the Bundesliga this Saturday, hosting Union Berlin at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern will undoubtedly view their recent 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen as a squandered chance to widen their nine-point advantage over closest rivals Borussia Dortmund in the league standings. With only eight fixtures remaining, the Bavarians are keen to avoid any further missteps that could give their competitors renewed hope in the title chase.
The Bundesliga leaders demonstrated their formidable strength in the Champions League Round of 16, comfortably dispatching Atalanta with a dominant 10-2 aggregate score across both legs.
Manager Vincent Kompany will be without Luis Díaz, who is suspended after receiving a red card in the recent encounter against Die Werkself. Manuel Neuer and Sven Ulreich are still undergoing their rehabilitation. Consequently, Jonas Urbig is anticipated to start in goal. The attacking midfield trio of Michael Olise, Lennart Karl, and Serge Gnabry is expected to support striker Harry Kane in a 4-2-3-1 setup.
Union Berlin has successfully distanced itself from the relegation zone, currently holding ninth place in the league with 31 points. After suffering consecutive losses to Borussia Mönchengladbach and Werder Bremen, Die Eisernen secured a crucial victory in their last outing, with Jeong Woo-yeong scoring a late winner against Freiburg to clinch all three points.
Steffen Baumgart’s side is well aware that Bayern Munich is on the verge of securing the championship. This match presents an opportunity for Union Berlin to challenge the league leaders and potentially earn valuable points.
Union Berlin faces a setback with goalkeeper Matheo Raab joining the injury list after fracturing his hand against Freiburg. Frederik Rønnow is slated to start between the posts. Additionally, András Schäfer will be unavailable due to suspension.
Predicted Lineups for Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin
Bayern Munich:
Urbig – Stanišić, Upamecano, M.-J. Kim, Laimer – Kimmich, Pavlović – Olise, Karl, Gnabry – Kane.
Union Berlin:
Rønnow – Doekhi, Querfeld, Nsoki – Trimmel, R. Khedira, Kemlein, Köhn – Jeong, Ansah – Ilić.
