KAMPALA — A climate of uncertainty pervades Bayern Munich as they prepare for a crucial double header of Bundesliga matches against Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen within the next five days. Disagreements over the club’s technical direction under all conquering manager Hans Deiter Flick and the board have surfaced in the aftermath of the Bavarians Champions League quarterfinal exit at the hands of Paris Saint Germain. Flick led the Allianz Arena to an unprecedented six titles last season but finds himself having to defend a perilous five-point advantage over persistent RB Leipzig with six rounds to go.
Flick has made his displeasure over the summer sale of Thiago Alcantara and impending departures of defensive duo Jerome Boateng and David Alaba when their contracts expire June 30. Incessant bickering with sporting director Hasan Salihadzimic has intensified speculation Flick will take over national team managerial duties from former boss Joachim Low when he retires after the European championships. It’s against such a background that the Bavarians take on Oliver Glasner’s resurgent Wolfsburg on Saturday night.
Bayern Munich’s chase for an unprecedented ninth consecutive Bundesliga title has been complicated by the continued absence through injury of top scorer Robert Lewandowski, French midfield powerhouse Corentin Toliso and the Covid-19 afflicted Serge Gnarby. Their advantage could be cut to two points by RB Leipzig by the time they face Wolfsburg as Julian Nagelsmann’s upstarts open league proceedings with a winnable home match against Hoffenheim on Friday, before confronting second from bottom Koln next Wednesday.
Bayern Munich’s chase for an unprecedented ninth consecutive Bundesliga title has been complicated by the continued absence through injury of top scorer Robert Lewandowski, French midfield powerhouse Corentin Toliso and the Covid-19 afflicted Serge Gnarby. Their advantage could be cut to two points by RB Leipzig by the time they face Wolfsburg as Julian Nagelsmann’s upstarts open league proceedings with a winnable home match against Hoffenheim on Friday, before confronting second from bottom Koln next Wednesday.
Borussia Dortmund begin their quest to overhaul a seven point deficit on fourth placed Eintracht Frankfurt with a home tie against Werder Bremen before confronting much improved Union Berlin midweek. Signal Iduna Park boss Edwin Terzic will be hoping leading marksman Erling Braut Haaland can end a seven match goal drought against a Bremen side still two wins short of ensuring top flight survival. Terzic is still without assists king Jadon Sancho, Marcel Schmelzer, midfield enforcers Thomas Delaney and Alex Witsel, as well as 16-year old prodigy Youssoufa Moukoko.
Frankfurt will be expected to extend their outstanding Bundesliga season when they travel to face Marco Rose’s dangerous Borussia Moenchengladbach before hosting Augsburg. Frankfurt’s 23-goal front man Andre Silva will once again be the man to watch. The rest of this weekend’s fixtures see Schalke travel to Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen host Koln Mainz are at home to Hertha Berlin and Augsburg welcome Arminia Bielefeld.
FRIDAY
RB Leipzig v Hoffenheim
WEEKEND
Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich,
Augsburg v Arminia Bielefeld, Union Berlin v Stuttgart, Freiburg v Schalke
Gladbach v Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen v Koln, Borussia Dortmund v Werder Bremen, Mainz v Hertha Berlin
MIDWEEK
Koln v RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich v Leverkusen, Frankfurt v Augsburg, Arminia Bielefeld v Schalke
Stuttgart v Wolfsburg
Hertha Berlin v Schalke, Werder Bremen v Mainz, Borussia Dortmund v Union Berlin, Hoffenheim v Gladbach.
