FC Bayern entertain SC Freiburg at the Allianz Arena on Sunday afternoon on Bundesliga Matchday 2 (live text and free Web Radio commentary from 17:30 CEST on fcbayern.com and the FC Bayern app). The objective for the first home game of the season is clear: three points! Our preview has everything you need to know ahead of the clash with SCF.
The photos from Saturday's final training session:
The state of play for Bayern
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany can't wait for his first home match in charge of the German record champions: "Finally a game at the Allianz Arena! I feel like I've already been here for ages but we haven't played there yet, so I'm really looking forward to it." After a successful pre-season and wins in the DFB Cup at SSV Ulm 1846 (4-0) and in the Bundesliga opener at VfL Wolfsburg (3-2), the head coach is eyeing another victory. "We want to show the fans a good performance," Kompany said in his press conference on Friday.
As well as Kompany, Jamal Musiala also knows that it will be far from an easy task against Freiburg: "It's going to be a difficult game, they've started the season well. We need to take it up another gear to win this game too," the attacker told fcbayern.com. The 21-year-old is also excited to walk out in front of his own fans again, 112 days since the final home game of last season: "It's always fun playing at the Allianz Arena. The atmosphere is always cool. Everybody in the team is looking forward to it."
Read the key statements from Vincent Kompany and Max Eberl at the pre-match press conference:
The opponents: Freiburg
There was big change at Freiburg over the summer. After Christian Streich had led the club to numerous successes during 12 years as head coach, Julian Schuster replaced him at the helm. The former SCF player has enjoyed a strong start to the new season. His side beat third-division VfL Osnabrück 4-0 in the DFB Cup, before defeating last season's runners-up VfB Stuttgart 3-1 on the opening weekend of the Bundesliga.
"The more you analyse the Freiburg team, the better you understand the club," praised Kompany. "It's impressive because they don't have the financial resources that other teams in the Bundesliga have. They have a clear identity and have been successful for a long time in the Bundesliga." That said, the Breisgau side's record in away games in Munich speaks for itself: of the 24 meetings between the two sides in the Bavarian capital, FCB have won 21 and drawn three.
More facts on the meeting with Freiburg:
The team news
"We don't have any major concerns, I hope that we'll soon have everyone available bar those who are out longer term," revealed Kompany in the press conference. He'll definitely be without Hiroki Ito (metatarsal fracture), Josip Stanišić (knee ligament tear), Daniel Peretz (muscle tendon injury) and Arijon Ibrahimović (muscle tear) against Freiburg.
For the visitors, forward Michael Gregoritsch is ruled out due to a muscle strain. Manuel Gulde and Maximilian Philipp have been absent from training recently with back problems.
We spoke to summer signing João Palhinha ahead of his potential home debut:
What the coaches say
We have respect for our opponents, they've been doing very well for years. But it's a home game for us and the aim is very clear.
Vincent Kompany
It's going to be a big challenge that we look forward to and embrace. It'll be vital that we're solid physically.
Julian Schuster (SC Freiburg)
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