Fresh from their Champions League victory over Manchester United, reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich welcome VfL Bochum to the Allianz Arena on Saturday afternoon.
The German giants secured a thrilling 4-3 home win over the Red Devils on Wednesday, while the visitors played out a 1-1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt in the league last weekend.
Match preview
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After dropping points for the first time this season in a 2-2 draw with fellow Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen last weekend, Bayern Munich returned to winning ways in another goal-laden affair when they came out on top in a seven-goal thriller against Man United in their opening Group A fixture in the Champions League.
Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, Harry Kane and Mathys Tel were all on the scoresheet to help the Bavarian giants claim their 14th successive group-stage win in the Champions League as well as extend their record-breaking unbeaten run at this stage to 35 matches.
Since losing the German Super Cup 3-0 to RB Leipzig in August, Bayern have won four of their last five games, scored 15 goals in total and netting at least twice in all five fixtures, and Thomas Tuchel's men will be confident of further success in front of goal on Saturday against a Bochum side whom they have had plenty of joy against in recent years.
Indeed, Bayern have won three of last four Bundesliga meetings with Bochum, scoring 21 goals in the process, while two of those three victories were by a thumping 7-0 scoreline – one on home soil in September 2021 and the other on the road in August last year.
Bayern's home record also bodes well ahead of Saturday's clash, as they have lost just one of their last 25 Bundesliga matches at the Allianz Arena, a run that includes 17 victories and eight draws, and dates back to January 2022.
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Bochum are one of six Bundesliga teams who are yet to win this season after four matches, but they have drawn each of their last three against Borussia Dortmund, Augsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, rescuing a point against the latter last weekend.
Following a goalless first half, Eric Junior Dina Ebimbe put Frankfurt ahead 10 minutes after the break, but the Blues restored parity in the final 15 minutes when Kevin Stoger converted from the penalty spot, netting his second home goal in as many games this season.
Head coach Thomas Letsch has insisted that he is "absolutely happy" with Bochum's performances so far this season, but he has been left disappointed by not claiming at least one win from their recent run of draws.
The prospect of Bochum opening their account to the new campaign on Saturday is slim, as they have won just one of their last 17 competitive meetings with Bayern – a 4-2 home win in February 2022 – while their last victory at the Allianz Arena was a 2-0 success back in August 1991 in a season when Bayern surprisingly slumped to a 10th-placed finish.
Bochum's away record also leaves a little to be desired as they have won just six of their last 36 Bundesliga matches on the road since returning to the top flight in 2021.
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Team News
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Bayern are still having to cope without veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer who sustained a calf injury to his left leg during his recovery from a broken right leg that has kept him sidelined since December last year; Tarek Buchmann (hamstring) is also ruled out, while Raphael Guerreiro (calf) is doubtful.
After missing the draw with Leverkusen due to a minor muscle issue, Kingsley Coman was fit to return in midweek and came on for the final half hour against Man United; the French winger will be hoping to force his way back into the first XI on Saturday at the expense of either Gnabry or Sane.
Thomas Muller, who celebrated his 100th Champions League win in midweek, will continue to battle with Jamal Musiala for the number 10 role, while in-form summer signing Kane, who has scored five goals in as many games since joining from Tottenham Hotspur, is expected to lead the line.
As for Bochum, backup goalkeeper Michael Esser and teenage defender Mohammed Tolba are both ruled out with knee injuries, and striker Lys Mousset is also in the treatment room with an Achilles problem.
Slough-born right-back Jordi Osei-Tutu has missed the last three games with an abdominal issue and is a doubt for Saturday, so former Dortmund man Felix Passlack is expected to continue at right wing-back, with Maximilian Wittek operating on the opposite flank.
Japanese attacker Takuma Asano has scored three goals in his first five games this season and he will likely continue in a central role alongside Philipp Hofmann, who is still searching for his first goal of the new campaign.
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Ulreich; Mazraoui, Upamecano, Kim, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sane, Musiala, Gnabry; Kane
VfL Bochum possible starting lineup:
Riemann; Masovic, Ordets, Bernardo; Passlack, Bero, Losilla, Stoger, Wittek; Asano, Hofmann
We say: Bayern Munich 4-1 VfL Bochum
Bayern will be regarded as strong favourites to claim all three points on Saturday, and their in-form attackers should have plenty of joy in the final third against a Bochum side who have already conceded seven goals in two away games this term.
The hosts have shown their own signs of defensive frailties this season, conceding seven goals in their last four matches, but Tuchel's men should ultimately have too much quality for the visitors.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
