Bundesliga Preview: Bayern Munich – 1899 Hoffenheim

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Bundesliga: Hoffenheim, Vedad Ibisevic, Sejad Salihovic (firo)

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Well it’s finally here - the big one.  The interest around the game is like no other this season as surprise Bundesliga leaders Hoffenheim come up against title favourites Bayern Munich.  All eyes will be focussed on the Allianz Arena this Friday as the upstarts take on the traditional giants.     

Goliath

Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer will welcome his old golfing buddy and Hoffenheim supremo Dietmar Hopp to the Allianz Arena for what few would have predicted at the start of the season.  Friday’s game see Hoffenheim top of the table and Bayern behind them in second.  

Many years ago Beckenbauer took Bayern to Sinsheim to help unveil the new 5,000 capacity stadium that was to be named after club benefactor Hopp.  Few present on that day in 1999 would have dreamt that little under 10 years later the two sides would meet again in a game at the summit of the Bundesliga.   

The Bavarians, who have won 21 German league titles, had their worst start to a league campaign in over three decades but have since won seven of their last eight league games to set up this top of the table clash.  Bayern are very much on the up, but face one of their toughest challenges this season.   

The interest surrounding the game has reached crazy levels even by Bayern Munich standards with the 69,000 capacity Allianz Arena sold-out weeks ago and claims that the club could have sold 180,000 tickets for the match.   

The interest from the world’s media has also reached near fever-pitch- a fact which doesn’t surprise Bayern trainer Jürgen Klinsmann.  “It’s the game football fans have waited a long time for,” he said.  “The fans will witness a highly charged match with a stunning atmosphere at the stadium.”  

The pressure is very much on the home side but they know that and full back Philipp Lahm is confident they can show Hoffenheim just who is boss. 

“We intend to demonstrate who’s meant to be top – and that’s Bayern Munich,” he announced.  “Now is the time to send out a signal.  It’ll be tough for Hoffenheim to adapt to us as we’re extremely good up front” he added.   

David? Not Exactly  

At the start of the season this clash could quite rightly have been described as a David and Goliath clash, with Hoffenheim taking on the role of underdogs or minnows.  However, after what they have achieved in the first half of the season and for their style of play, Hoffenheim are no longer the ‘small’ team they are being billed as.  

The team from Sinsheim will be relishing their trip to the Allianz Arena and will confident that they can get a result against the illustrious Bayern.  Ralf Rangnick’s side are in a win/ win situation with the pressure all on Bayern.  If they lose, then it will be a case of them accepting the might of Bayern, but should they win then the shock waves will reverberate all the way up the North Sea coast.   

There have been a few comments from within the Munich camp which haven’t exactly gone down well in the Hoffenheim camp, but that doesn’t concern their general manager Jan Schindelmeister.  

“We are not taking any of the comments seriously,” Schindelmeister has explained.  “We cannot compare ourselves with Bayern Munich.  They have been a top team for many years are in a totally different galaxy to us.”  

Trainer Ralf Rangnick agreed saying: “These comments just give us more self belief, because they show that they are taking us very seriously.  We have to be compact, and give Bayern very little room.  On the other hand we also want to test their back four.  Finding this balance will be the key to the game.” 

FORM GUIDE  

Bayern Munich

29/11/08  v Bayer Leverkusen (a)  WON 0-2  (Bundesliga)

25/11/08  v Steaua Bucharest (h)  WON 3-0  (Champions League)

22/11/08  v Energie Cottbus (h)  WON 4-1  (Bundesliga)

15/11/08  v Bor. Mönchengladbach (a)  DREW 2-2  (Bundesliga)

09/11/08  v Schalke (a)  WON 1-2  (Bundesliga)

05/11/08  v Fiorentina (a)  DREW 1-1  (Champions League)  

1899 Hoffenheim

29/11/08  v Arminia Bielefeld (h)  WON 3-0  (Bundesliga)

22/11/08  v 1.FC Köln (a)  WON 1-3  (Bundesliga)

15/11/08  v Wolfsburg (h)  WON 3-2  (Bundesliga)

09/11/08  v Hertha Berlin (a)  LOST 1-0  (Bundesliga)

01/11/08  v Karlsruhe (h)  WON 4-1  (Bundesliga)

29/10/08  v Bochum (a)  WON 1-3  (Bundesliga)     

TEAM NEWS  

Bayern Munich

Captain Mark van Bommel and defender Martin Demichelis were both ruled out of last Saturday’s 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen with illness and injury respectively,  but have both resumed training and have been declared fit to play against the table-toppers.

Tim Borowski was forced to sit out Tuesday’s training session after taking a knock against Leverkusen, but he should be fit to take his place in the squad. Trainer Jürgen Klinsmann therefore has near full squad to choose from with the only absentees being Willy Sagnol (Achilles) and Lukas Podolski (back).  

Probable Starting XI: Rensing, Oddo, Lucio, Demichelis, Lahm, van Bommel, Zé Roberto, Schweinsteiger, Ribéry, Klose, Toni  

1899 Hoffenheim

Trainer Ralf Rangnick will once again have Brazilian Luiz Gustavo and Bosnian Sejad Salihovic available.  Chinedu Obasi is also poised for a return to the starting XI after being unable to train on Wednesday.   

The signs also look good for the previously injured Demba Ba meaning that Hoffenheim can line-up with their three-man attack of Obasi, Ibisevic and Ba  

Out however is 34 year old Francisco Copado, who is suffering from an flu infection.

Probable Starting XI: Haas, Beck, Jaissle, Compper, Ibertsberger, Weis, Luiz Gustavo, Carlos Eduardo, Obasi, Ibisevic, Ba  

PLAYERS TO WATCH  

Bayern Munich - Franck Ribéry

Hoffenheim as an attacking force are a well known quantity, but their weakness is at the back and Frenchman and last season’s Bundesliga Player of the Year Franck Ribéry will be looking to stretch the full backs and provide the ammunition for Klose and Toni.   

Ribéry has been in sublime form of late and he will be the one to watch for Bayern as he looks to make up for his lowly finish in the voting for the Ballon d’Or by showing just what he is capable of.  

1899 Hoffenheim - Vedad Ibisevic

At this stage last season, Bayern striker Luca Toni had scored nine goals and he went on to top the Bundesliga scoring charts with a tally of 24 strikes.  That’s what you get when you pay €11 million for one of Europe’s top forwards.   

Hoffenheim hit-man Vedad Ibisevic however has already hit 17 goals in 15 games this season and has his sights firmly set on topping Toni’s total from last year.  There has even been talk of him going for Bayern legend Gerd Müller’s record of 40 on a season.  To score against ‚der Bomber’s’ would be a great start for the prolific Bosnian.   

PREDICTION  

Predicting this is a tough one, but I think it is safe to say there will be goals.  The Allianz Arena has witnessed more goals than any other Bundesliga stadium this season (37), while no club has scored more often away from home than Hoffenheim (20).      

As has been said, it is a real David versus Goliath clash between these two, but remember what happened in that battle. The heart says Hoffenheim, but the head says Bayern.  It will be far from easy for the Bavarians, but they should have the quality to come out on top despite a valiant effort from their visitors.     

Bayern Munich 3-1 1899 Hoffenheim  

Mathew Burt, Goal.com