Bundesliga Preview | Bayern Munich vs TSG Hoffenheim: Will Bayern go winless in three league matches? | OneFootball

Bayern Munich vs TSG Hoffenheim has all the ingredients to be the Bundesliga game of the weekend when they meet on Sunday. Bayern are winless in two matchdays and could go into this one just three points ahead of Borussia Dortmund. Hoffenheim are the surprise package this season and are the best in-form side in the Bundesliga right now. They’ll feel that they have more than enough quality to cause Bayern troubles on Sunday evening. 

Bayern Munich

It’s a massive match for Bayern. Following a first Bundesliga loss to FC Augsburg, followed by a 2-2 draw to Hamburger SV, they really need to claim all three points on matchday 21. 

A third consecutive game without a win, and the Bundesliga title race could be well and truly on with plenty of football still to be played. 

Central defender Jonathan Tah sat down with ESPN this week to discuss a number of subjects, including the importance of this phase in the season: 

“The important games are coming now. I’m not saying the games we’ve had were not important, but this is fundamental to being successful. This period of the season has given us this confidence to play against the top teams and beat them too. The big games are coming, and we go into those games with a lot of confidence. We know what to do.”

It’s possibly the most pressure that Vincent Kompany has been under for a good while. Whilst there is always pressure as a Bayern coach, when results aren’t going your way, the temperature rises a little bit more. 

Tah explains that Kompany understands exactly what is needed in times such as this: 

“He had a lot of things [as a player], but I think the most impressive of all was his leadership. When you watch how (former team-mates) speak about him, you can definitely understand why he’s a great coach as well. The way he handles the team, the players, he really knows how to talk to the players. He just has this feeling for a dressing room, what the guys need. Then there’s the tactical side and the defensive side. I can learn a lot. He sees and adjusts so many details that you just improve.”

The home advantage on Sunday will give Bayern that extra bit of bite that they’ll need to get over the line against Hoffenheim. It should make for an electric atmosphere and an intriguing contest. 

TSG Hoffenheim

If Hoffenheim could choose a time to play Bayern Munich, it would be now. Unbeaten in seven Bundesliga matches and having scored 18 during that time, Hoffenheim are by far the most in-form side in the league right now. Considering they were so close to relegation last season, it’s a remarkable turnaround with the club now probably expecting to achieve European football next term. 

To put it into more context, on 42 points from 20 matchdays, Hoffenheim have never had a best points tally at this point of a season in the club’s history.

What’s more, in the three-point era, no third-placed club has ever had more points after 20 matchdays – just remarkable. 

Hoffenheim are the second-highest goalscorers in the league this campaign, with only Bayern beating their tally. Likewise, they have the second-best defence (last season, TSG conceded over 60 goals), only behind their hosts this weekend. On paper, this feels more like a top-two clash at the summit of the league. 

Team News

Bayern Munich

Bayern have no fresh injury concerns going into this one. However, one doubt is top goalscorer Harry Kane, who has missed several days of training this week due to illness. It’s still unclear whether he’ll be fit enough for Sunday’s game. 

TSG Hoffenheim

Tim Lemperle came off injured during Hoffenheim’s 3-1 victory against Union Berlin; however, it’s unclear if he’ll remain sidelined this weekend. Other than that, and the long-term injuries known to TSG, they have a full selection of players. 

GGFN | Jamie Allen