Bayern with Marcel Sabitzer are the clear favorites in the away game against Schalke (6.30 p.m.). Coach Julian Nagelsmann hopes that the imminent World Cup will not cause his team players to hold back in order to minimize the risk of injury. “Keeping the focus and greed up in the Bundesliga also helps in preparation for the World Cup. Not to mention the injury prevention of playing the games with 100 percent excitement,” explained Nagelsmann.
Munich, who will go into the World Cup break as leaders, will have to do without the injured Senegalese Sadio Mane. Nagelsmann left it open whether he could play at the World Cup. “It’s clear that Senegal would like him to play,” said the 35-year-old. In any case, Mane was called up to the team squad. Thomas Müller is also not used so that he can recover from his injuries. The Dutchman Matthijs de Ligt, on the other hand, is expected to return after his knee problems and should get match practice before the World Cup.
Mane im Senegal-Kader
Nine days before the start of the soccer World Cup, Senegal presented its squad. Also there is the injured Sadio Mane. Participation in the World Cup seemed impossible just a few days ago. Mane was injured in Bayern’s Bundesliga game against Bremen and threatened to be out for several weeks.
Schalke hopes for a sense of achievement
After the 1-0 win against Mainz and the end of a long series of defeats, Schalke are hoping for another positive result, although the opponent seems overpowered. “It’s a very big task, but you have to have the courage to play football. You can’t go onto the pitch with a sack in your pants, then you’ve already lost,” said coach Thomas Reis. Royal Blue has not won against Bayern for twelve years.
In Mainz, coach Oliver Glasner’s Eintracht hopes that the successful past few weeks will continue. There have been seven wins in the past eight competitive games. Three more points would also secure fourth place and thus the Champions League spot. The situation in Mainz is different with Karim Onisiwo, who recently lost three times.
In the Freiburg game with ÖFB players Michael Gregoritsch and Philipp Lienhart against Union, both teams want to add three more points to their outstanding season so far. Before the start of the season, Berlin coach Urs Fischer would have found it difficult to imagine that Union, second in the table, would make a guest appearance in third-placed Breisgau on the 15th matchday. “You should have found the right words to convince me,” said the Swiss.
Dortmund bankruptcy near Gladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach already welcomed Borussia from Dortmund on Friday and celebrated a clear 4:2 (2:3) win. In a varied game, the Gladbach goalscorers Jonas Hofmann (4th), Ramy Bensebaini (26th), Marcus Thuram (30th) and Kouadio Kone (46th) in front of 54,000 spectators in Borussia Park ensured the sixth defeat of the defensive desolate BVB.
This means that Dortmund spends the winter in a disappointing sixth place in the table and has six points fewer than at the same time last season. The goals from Julian Brandt (19th) and Nico Schlotterbeck (40th) were not enough given the blatant defensive mistakes.
