Form: Five trophies in 2020
After securing the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and UEFA Champions League treble, Bayern picked up where they left off as soon as the new season got underway. A few days after adding the UEFA Super Cup to their trophy cabinet, they slipped to a surprise 4-1 defeat at the hands of Hoffenheim. The Bavarians soon put that behind them however, with wins against FC Schalke 04 (8-0), Hertha BSC Berlin (4-3) and Arminia Bielefeld (4-1). Not content with that, Hansi Flick’s team also took home the DFL Supercup, defeating Borussia Dortmund to make it five titles in one calendar year.
| FC Bayern Munich 2020/21 | |
|---|---|
| Stats | 3 wins, 0 draws, 1 defeat, 17:8 goals, 9 points, 2nd in the table |
| Goalscorers | Lewandowski (7), Gnabry (3), Müller (3), Kimmich (1), Goretzka (1), Sané (1), Musiala (1) |
Tactics: Strength in attack
Flick tends to operate with a 4-2-3-1 formation, and with the sheer number of games that the club has to play, the coach regularly rotates his squad. The record Bundesliga champions will have to do without Serge Gnabry this weekend after he tested positive for COVID-19, while Corentin Tolisso will also be missing due to his recent red card. Leroy Sané, meanwhile, is a doubt as he is still recovering from a knee injury.
Bayern have already managed 17 goals thus far in the league, with top scorer Robert Lewandowski getting no fewer than seven of them. At the other end however, they have let in eight.
One to watch: Lucas Hernández
Lucas Hernández, who can play as either a central defender or a full-back, was the club’s record signing when he joined in 2019. The 24-year-old started six of the first eight league games last season only to suffer an interior ligament injury which kept him on the sidelines for a number of months.
On his return, he often had to be content with a spot on the bench but he has since managed to earn the faith of Flick once again, with the coach now full of praise for the France international. Hernández is strong in the air and in one-on-ones, and brings an important physical presence to Bayern’s defence.
