Bayern Munich have failed to win for the second successive Bundesliga match after they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Schalke 04.
The league leaders were reduced to 10 men after just 17 minutes when Jerome Boateng was dismissed for a professional foul inside the penalty area, but Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's spot kick was easily saved by Manuel Neuer.
However, Schalke couldn't capitalise on having the extra man, but after Bayern took the lead through Arjen Robben, defender Benedikt Howedes headed home from a corner to earn the visitors a point.
Read below to see how the action unfolded at the Allianz Arena.
Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the Bundesliga match between Bayern Munich and Schalke 04.
It's not often that Bayern Munich head into a game coming off the back of a heavy defeat but tonight is one of those occasions. Whether it was due to a lack of game time or simply a poor performance, the league leaders were thrashed 4-1 by Wolfsburg last Friday to give a glimmer of hope to the second-place side that they can overhaul Bayern before the end of the season, but Bayern can ensure that result was only a minor blip by seeing off Schalke this evening.
If the recent history of this fixture is anything to go by, Pep Guardiola's men should be looking at three points. In the last four home fixtures with Schalke, Bayern have won each time, with the aggregate score at a whopping 15-2. Schalke have won five of their last seven fixtures to sit in fourth place, but the chances are that they will spend the majority of the evening on the back foot.
Anyway, with just over 20 minutes until kickoff, let's take a look at both lineups.
BAYERN MUNICH XI: Neuer; Benatia, Boateng, Alaba; Alonso, Schweinsteiger, Bernat, Weiser; Gotze, Muller, Robben
BAYERN MUNICH SUBSTITUTES: Dante, Lewandowski, Pizarro, Gaudino, Rode, Badstuber
SCHALKE 04 XI: Giefer; Howedes, Uchida, Fuchs, Nastasic, Matip; Meyer, Boateng, Neustadter, Sam; Choupo-Moting
SCHALKE 04 SUBSTITUTES: Wellenreuther, Aogo, Sane, Ayhan, Barnetta, Sobottka, Platte
Bayern have made two alterations to the team that started in their first league defeat of the season. Robert Lewandowski and Sebastian Rode have dropped to the bench, with Medhi Benatia and Mitchell Weiser coming into the team to take their place.
As for Schalke, boss Roberto Di Matteo has brought Joel Matip, Sidney Sam and Kevin-Prince Boateng into his starting lineup. However, the Italian coach is missing striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar after the Dutchman was handed a six-match suspension.
Tonight's fixture at the Allianz Arena isn't the only match taking place in the Bundesliga tonight. Wolfsburg, who sit eight points behind Bayern, make the trip to Frankfurt, while Borussia Monchengladbach and Hannover host Frieburg and Mainz 05 respectively.
PREDICTION! It's probably harsh of us to suggest that fourth-place Schalke might take a bit of a thrashing tonight, but that's what we think might occur. Bayern won't like losing their unbeaten record and any complacency that they may have had regarding the league title would have disappeared. 4-0 to the home side.
The teams are beginning to make their way out onto the pitch in Munich. We should be underway in just a few minutes.
There are around 75,000 people inside the Allianz Arena this evening. Not bad for a Tuesday night, huh?
We should remember that Roberto Di Matteo has fond memories of this stadium. He won the Champions League here with Chelsea in 2012.
Schalke get us underway.
It's a fast start from the visitors, who cause confusion in the Bayern penalty area after a cross from the left, but the ball didn't fall right for Kevin-Prince Boateng and Bayern were able to clear.
Arjen Robben's first dribble of the night sees him soon pressurised by two Schalke players and they are successful in bringing a halt to his advances down the right. I imagine that will be the first of many surges forward from the Dutchman.
CHANCE! The first opportunity falls to Bastien Schweinsteiger, who beats his marker to get on the end of an outswinging corner, but his header went just wide of the right post.
We are only eight minutes into this contest and already, Bayern have three corners on the board. This delivery falls to Mario Gotze but he gets his feet tangled and his right-footed volley goes high over the crossbar from 12 yards.
Bayern are completely in the ascendancy. This could be a long night for Schalke unless they can get their foot on the ball.
SHOT! Seconds after I posted that, the visitors get a shot on target through Max Meyer, but his low driven effort from 25 yards is struck straight at Manuel Neuer.
SHOT! Mario Gotze wins a free kick for his side just outside of the penalty area, but it comes to nothing after Bastien Schweinsteiger curls the set piece a couple of yards over the crossbar.
Bayern have had 74% of possession during the opening 15 minutes. Normal day at the office at the Allianz Arena. Schalke have done well to remain on level terms.
PENALTY TO SCHALKE 04!
RED CARD! Jerome Boateng has been sent off for a professional foul.
MISSED PENALTY! Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has seen his penalty saved by Manuel Neuer!
Where do I start? After a perfectly-weight through ball, Jerome Boateng could only proceed to haul down Sidney Sam just inside the penalty area. It's a definite foul and a certain penalty. However, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's penalty is a shocker and it's a comfortable save for Manuel Neuer.
Shortly after missing the spot kick, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting saw a long-range strike saved by Neuer again. That caused him more difficultly than the penalty!
That's the fifth time that Boateng has been sent off in his career. I'm not surprised with wild challenges like that one. It wasn't aggressive or dirty - it was just clumsy and unneeded at this stage of the match.
SUBSTITUTION! Pep Guardiola has decided to thrown on Dante as a replacement for Boateng. Mario Gotze is the player who has been sacrificed.
As we reach the half-hour mark, Bayern are still having plenty of possession but Schalke are encouraged after that dismissal and have started to commit a couple of extra men forward.
I can't remember Fabian Giefer having to make a save in the opening 34 minutes. That's not something that every visiting goalkeeper has achieved at the home of the champions.
SHOT! Schalke put a nice move together in the final third, but after the ball falls to the feet of Kevin-Prince Boateng, he only has eyes for goal and his 20-yard strike is straight at Manuel Neuer.
SHOT! He's been quiet for much of this first half but Arjen Robben has finally come to life. After cutting inside onto his left foot, the Dutchman attempted to curl the ball into the far corner, but he just failed to bring the ball back enough to trouble Fabian Giefer.
Schalke need to be careful here. Bayern are starting to push forward with more intent. The visitors don't want to blow a solid first-half display with a lapse in concentration now.
There will be just one minute of added-on time. Schalke have possession but don't look like doing anything before the half-time whistle.
HALF TIME: Bayern Munich 0-0 Schalke 04
Schalke win a corner as the clock ticks into the 47th minute but the referee blows up for half time. Controversial!
That was a decent half of football, but as expected, the sending off changed the course of this game. Bayern were comfortable until Jerome Boateng was dismissed, and although the visitors missed the spot kick, they are competitive in this game and have every chance of recording a result.
Over in Frankfurt, it remains goalless between the home side and second-place Wolfsburg. Bayern will be hoping that scoreline can remain the same for another 45 minutes!
I don't envisage any changes from either manager at half time. Pep Guardiola will want to keep Robert Lewandowski up his sleeve for later in the second half while Roberto Di Matteo will be impressed with the application of his 11 players. Can they do the same for another 45 minutes? We are about to find out.
Wow. Schalke have changed their goalkeeper at half time. Fabian Giefer must have an injury. We are going to see a Bundesliga debut for Timon Wellenreuther! He is just 18 years old.
We are back underway at the Allianz Arena.
The first long kick from Wellenreuther is a decent one with his left foot but there must be some nerves there! His only first-team experience has come in the fourth division of German football.
Bayern win a corner to give themselves the first chance to test the young stopper. However, the ball is sent towards the penalty spot where Dante can only commit a foul.
Schalke dispossess Xabi Alonso in the middle of the pitch but they are unable to get the ball to Sidney Sam, who was looking to get in behind the Bayern defence. It's been an extremely quiet start to this second half.
SUBSTITUTION! Thomas Muller is being withdrawn by Pep Guardiola. Not sure if there is an injury involved or not, but Robert Lewandowski is the man to be introduced to the action.
SHOT! Arjen Robben takes the direct route towards goal before unleashing a stinging left-footed effort that warms the palms of Timon Wellenreuther. That should hopefully do his confidence the world of good.
GOAL FLASH! Good news for Bayern. Stefan Aigner has given Frankfurt the lead against Wolfsburg.
Schalke enjoy a spell of possession in and around the Bayern penalty area but they don't come near to forcing an opening goal. They need more moments like that though. They are currently playing like the team who are down to 10 men.
BOOKING! Medhi Benatia goes into the referee's book for a hand in the face of Sidney Sam as they were both chasing down a ball.
DISALLOWED GOAL! It's all going on here. Bayern think they have scored after the ball squeezed past Timon Wellenreuther at the near post but it has been adjudged that the ball went out.
GOAL! Bayern Munich 1-0 Schalke 04 (Robben)
That incident resulted in a corner being awarded to Bayern and they have taken full advantage. The ball was swung in from the right and Arjen Robben rose above the Schalke defence to glance the ball into the far corner. Timon Wellenreuther could have perhaps done better with that effort but it was a decent finish nonetheless.
Schalke can only have themselves to blame. They've barely done nothing with the extra man in this half. They now have 20 minutes to somehow alter the momentum of this game but that could be easier said than done.
GOAL! Bayern Munich 1-1 Schalke 04 (Howedes)
As I said, it's going to be difficult for Schalke to come back into this game...! It's a carbon-copy of the Robben goal. The ball was swung in for Benedikt Howedes to head home into the far corner. Game on!
Bayern are rattled to such an extent that Arjen Robben just attempted "the swan dive" in the penalty area. The referee rightly awarded nothing.
SUBSTITUTION! Schalke are throwing on Leroy Sane in place of Sidney Sam.
BOOKING! Mitchell Weiser has gone into the book for Bayern after a late tackle on Kevin-Prince Boateng. It's fair to say that Boateng wasn't too impressed.
SHOT! Juan Bernat does well to make inroads down the left but rather than cross for Robert Lewandowski, he opts to shoot from an acute angle and the ball flies over the crossbar.
Schalke make a huge appeal for a penalty after Medhi Benatia blocked Max Meyer inside the penalty area but the referee waves play on. I've seen them given but it would have been a big call from the official.
BOOKING! Bastian Schweinsteiger follows Benatia and Weiser by being booked. The break-in-play allows Schalke to replace Kevin-Prince Boateng with Tranquillo Barnetta.
GOAL FLASH! Wolfsburg have equalised in Frankfurt! Kevin De Bruyne nets the goal with three minutes remaining. Who knows, that could prove to be an important strike come the end of the season.
SHOT! That would have been one of the goals of the season. After producing a sublime fist touch to pluck the ball out of the air and to deceive the defender, Robert Lewandowski took a couple of strides towards goal before mis-hitting his shot several yards wide.
FULL TIME: Bayern Munich 1-1 Schalke 04
Well I haven't seen that for a very long time. The referee has blown his whistle for full time without the addition of any injury time. There have been two goals plus the controversy of the disallowed goal...
Anyway, Bayern's 100% home record in the Bundesliga is no more, and Schalke continue their fine recent form. They had 73 minutes playing against 10 men but if you are Roberto Di Matteo, you can't be disappointed with a point at the Allianz Arena.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this game but we hope that you can stick around for match reports on the four Bundesliga matches that have taken place this evening. Goodbye for now.
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
