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Will it be an eighth win in eight competitive games this season? FC Bayern welcome SV Werder Bremen under the lights of the Allianz Arena on Friday evening (live text and free Web Radio commentary on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app from 20:30 CEST) in their Oktoberfest home match. To mark the occasion, the team will wear the commemorative new Oktoberfest jersey on the field. We’ve got all the key info on the game for you in our preview.
The photos from the final training session:
Latest news from Bayern
“People always talk about games like they’re almost a foregone conclusion – no,” said board member for sport Max Eberl ahead of Bayern’s only home fixture during the 190th Munich ‘Wiesn’. The impressive display against Club World Cup winners Chelsea in their opening Champions League match, a perfect record of seven wins in seven games in all competitions this season as well as the exciting style of play are one thing. But the players and staff are wary of feeling too comfortable, not least because of last season, when the road to success hit a brief bump with just one win in five matches in October. “You never know – that’s also the beauty of football,” said head coach Vincent Kompany in Thursday’s press conference. After over 20 years in professional football, the Belgian knows all too well “that sometimes a dip will come in a season. But you fight with everything you have against that. And at the moment we’re in a good spell.”
The facts on the clash with Werder:
Eberl also warned: “We must approach the game the way it must be approached – then we’ll do well in it, if we reach our top level.” Back-up goalkeeper Jonas Urbig will miss out because of an adductor strain, with Sven Ulreich replacing him on standby behind number one Manuel Neuer. In midfield, Joshua Kimmich could make his 300th Bundesliga appearance, which his coach is thrilled about: “I think there’s no doubt that he was one of the best midfielders last season. And he’ll continue to be important for us.” As will Harry Kane – the top goalscorer is also in excellent form. “Harry has always been a goalscorer,” described Kompany. “But I think he's opened up his game - the way he drops back between the lines… In the end, that allows him to escape him the attention of the defenders. And with that he's developing further, he's a leader in the team."
Read all the main quotes from the pre-match press conference here:
The opponents: Werder Bremen
Werder have taken four points from their four games so far, The team celebrated their only victory away to Borussia Mönchengladbach (4-0), although they did produce a late fightback to earn a 3-3 draw against Bayer Leverkusen. Nevertheless, FCB should be wary of the Green-Whites’ bold attacking play – especially when they have nothing to lose in Munich. “They're trying to dominate, play quick combinations through the middle - not many do that to such an extreme. That has a lot to do with the coach,” said Kompany. Horst Steffen came to Bremen in the summer from SV Elversberg and has two former Bayern youngsters in his squad in captain Marco Friedl and Mitchell Weiser, although the latter is currently sidelined.
Werder boosted their attack at the end of the transfer window with the addition of striker Victor Boniface from Leverkusen, but they’re still yet to really get going this season – and Bayern will be determined to stop them doing so on Friday night. In any case, the visitors will travel to Bavaria with plenty of self-belief, as defender Felix Agu told the club’s website: “Obviously Bayern need to have an off day and you have to be at 100 percent yourselves. We have to make things happen, like we did one and a half years ago. A lot needs to come together but we still believe. There are still a few of us here who have experienced winning in Munich before.”
In the analysis, we take a look at the upcoming opponents’ pre-season, transfers, likely line-up and tactics:
The team news
Bayern are still without Alphonso Davies (cruciate ligament), Hiroki Ito (metatarsal) and Jamal Musiala (leg and ankle) as well as Josip Stanišić (right knee). As mentioned, Urbig is also out. No decision has been made on Minjae Kim yet. "If all goes well in training today, he'll be available on Friday,” confirmed Kompany.
For Bremen, defenders Olivier Deman (ankle), Niklas Stark (thigh) and Weiser (cruciate ligament) are out. First-choice goalkeeper Mio Backhaus is also a late withdrawal because of a shoulder injury. In his place, Karl Hein will make his Bundesliga debut at the Allianz Arena, as confirmed by coach Steffen at his pre-match press conference. Samuel Mbangula is available again after recovering from a thigh problem.
What the coaches say
You immediately see a new direction under the new coach.
Vincent Kompany
We're travelling to Munich with a bold attitude. We're certainly only going to have around 30 percent possession and going to have to do a lot of defending. That's Bayern Munich - they're a top team in Europe. Hoffenheim showed signs of how you can do it.
Horst Steffen (Werder Bremen)
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