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Attendance: 75,000
Bayern logo
Bundesliga | Gameweek 34
May 18, 2019 at 2.30pm UK
 
Eintracht Frankfurt logo

5-1

Coman (4'), Alaba (53'), Sanches (58'), Ribery (72'), Robben (78')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Haller (50')

Preview: Bayern Munich vs. Eintracht Frankfurt - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Bundesliga clash between Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt, including team news and predicted lineups.

Bayern Munich will be looking to seal their seventh straight Bundesliga title when they welcome Eintracht Frankfurt to the Allianz Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Bayern lead second-placed Borussia Dortmund by two points heading into the final matchday, while a significantly superior goal difference means that a point would be good enough for the Munich giants.


Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka celebrates scoring their second goal with Niklas Sule and team mates on May 4, 2019© Reuters

Bayern had the chance to clinch the title last weekend but third-placed RB Leipzig held the reigning champions to a draw. It is still very much in the hands of Niko Kovac's side, but any slip would open the door for Dortmund.

Dortmund head to Borussia Monchengladbach for what will undoubtedly be a tough match, but Lucien Favre's side will fancy their chances of collecting all three points before looking to Frankfurt for a favour.

Bayern have been far from their best this season, dropping points in 10 of their 33 league matches thus far. They have been strong at the Allianz Arena, though, winning 12 of their 16 games and losing just once.

Kovac's team are also unbeaten in the Bundesliga since a 3-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen on February 2. That said, two of their last three league games have ended in draws, including away to Nurnberg on April 28.

It would be a huge shock if Bayern did not complete the job this weekend, gaining their seventh straight title success in the process. The German giants have had to contend with more disappointment in the Champions League, though, with Liverpool beating them in the round of 16.

Indeed, after a goalless draw at Anfield in the first leg, Liverpool won 3-1 at the Allianz Arena to progress. Bayern can complete a domestic double this season, though, as they prepare to face Leipzig in the DFB-Pokal final on May 25.

The omens are not exactly terrific for Frankfurt or indeed Dortmund, considering that Bayern have won 22 of the last 29 meetings between the two teams, including a 3-0 victory in the reverse match earlier this season.

Bayern did not need to break a sweat last season as they won the title by 21 points - it has been a different story this term, with Dortmund showing excellent form for long spells. In many ways, though, it might actually be sweeter for Die Roten to land the crown on the final weekend.

Recent form: WWWDWD
Recent form (all competitions): WWWDWD


Eintracht Frankfurt

Eintracht Frankfurt celebrate Luka Jovic's goal against Chelsea in the Europa League on May 9, 2019.© Reuters

This game is far from a dead rubber, considering that a win for Frankfurt at the Allianz Arena could actually see them claim fourth position in the table. That scenario would rely on Leverkusen and Monchengladbach dropping points, but means that Saturday's clash in Munich is a hugely important fixture for both sides.

Fifteen wins, nine draws and nine defeats have brought Frankfurt 54 points this season. Bayern are, for obvious reasons, the favourites to win this match, but it is worth considering that Adi Hutter's team have only lost four of their 16 away Bundesliga games during the 2018-19 campaign.

Die Adler are without a win in the league since the start of April, though, losing three of their last five against Augsburg, Leverkusen and Mainz 05. It has been a difficult period of the season, but they showed their class over both legs of their Europa League semi-final with Chelsea.

Indeed, 1-1 draws home and away meant that the last-four contest headed for penalties, which the Premier League side ultimately won. There was a lot to admire from the German side, though, and it would be some story if they beat Bayern this weekend and claimed fourth position in the table.

It is difficult to discuss Frankfurt without mentioning a certain Luka Jovic. The 21-year-old has scored 27 times in all competitions this season but has only just completed a permanent move to the Bundesliga side, having previously been on loan from Benfica.

There remains huge speculation surrounding the centre-forward's future, though, with Real Madrid said to keen on a summer deal. It would be a big blow if Frankfurt lost Jovic this summer, but any deal would give Hutter's side a huge injection of cash heading into the upcoming transfer window.

As a result, this weekend could be the final time that Jovic is seen in a Frankfurt shirt. Seventeen Bundesliga goals this season is an indication of his threat and Dortmund will be hoping that the Serbian can fire this weekend.

As mentioned, though, the recent meetings between the two teams suggest that it will be a tough ask for the visitors. Indeed, Die Adler have not beaten Bayern in the Bundesliga since March 2010, while they have only scored once in their last four top-flight meetings.

Recent form: WLDDLL
Recent form (all competitions): DDDLLL


Team News

Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer pictured in December 2018© Reuters

Bayern will be without the services of number one goalkeeper Manuel Neuer due to a hamstring injury, meaning that Sven Ulreich will start between the sticks.

The home side are also sweating over the fitness of Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez, with the pair both struggling with knee injuries. James Rodriguez, meanwhile, is expected to miss out with a calf problem.

Robert Lewandowski, who is again being strongly linked with Manchester United, will lead the Bayern line as he goes in search of his 39th goal of what has been another strong campaign.

As for the visitors, Sebastian Rode, who played for Bayern between 2014 and 2016, is on the sidelines with a knee problem, while Taleb Tawatha will not be available until next season due to an ankle injury.

Jovic will again lead the line on what could be his farewell performance, while Ante Rebic, who played a key role in Croatia reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, is also expected to keep his spot.

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Ulreich; Kimmich, Sule, Hummels, Alaba; Thiago, Goretzka; Coman, Muller, Gnabry; Lewandowski​

Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:
Trapp; N'Dicka, Hinteregger, Abraham; Fernandes, Da Costa, Hasebe, Gacinovic, Kostic; Jovic, Rebic


Head To Head

Franck Ribery scored a brace and Rafinha netted the other as Bayern recorded a 3-0 victory in the reverse Bundesliga match back in December.

Bayern also ran out 4-1 winners in the corresponding fixture last term, meanwhile, and the Munich giants have not lost to Frankfurt in Germany's top flight since March 2010.

What's more, the reigning champions have won 22 of the last 29 games between the two teams, which is an indication of the size of the task facing the visitors on Saturday afternoon.

That said, Frankfurt famously recorded a shock 3-1 win over Bayern in the final of the DFB-Pokal last season.


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We say: Bayern Munich 2-0 Eintracht Frankfurt

It is difficult to predict anything other than a home win this weekend. Frankfurt certainly have the players to cause Bayern a lot of problems, but we fancy Kovac's team to claim the title with all three points.



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Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac pictured on March 2, 2019
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Bayern MunichBayern15113147133436
2Bayer LeverkusenB. Leverkusen1595137211632
3Eintracht FrankfurtFrankfurt1583435231227
4RB Leipzig158342420427
5Mainz 05Mainz157442820825
6Borussia DortmundDortmund157442822625
7Werder Bremen157442625125
8Borussia MonchengladbachBorussia M'bach157352520524
9Freiburg157352124-324
10Stuttgart156542925423
11Wolfsburg156363228421
12Union BerlinUnion Berlin154561419-517
13Augsburg154471732-1516
14St Pauli154291219-714
15Hoffenheim153572028-814
16Heidenheim1531111833-1510
17Holstein Kiel1522111938-198
18VfL BochumVfL Bochum1513111335-226


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