Round 18 of the Bundesliga kicked off the second half of the league campaign in Germany, following the mid-season winter break. Reigning champions Bayern Munich lie six points behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund and travelled to the Rhein-Neckar-Arena looking to extend their five-match winning run. Bayern triumphed in the reverse fixture against Hoffenheim on the opening day of the season, winning 3-1 at the Allianz Arena.
Julian Nagelsmann’s Hoffenheim sat six points off the last Champions League qualification spot ahead of this game and needed to get back to winning ways to avoid being cut adrift. Die Kraichgauer were unbeaten in their previous 10 Bundesliga matches, the longest current unbeaten run in the league. However, they also hadn’t won any of their last six games, drawing them all.
Bayern had finished 2018 with five straight wins in the Bundesliga as they began recovering lost points from the early games of their campaign. Niko Kovac’s side are in a state of transition but still hold the belief that they can catch league leaders Dortmund and secure their seventh straight Bundesliga title.
Here is a look at how both teams lined-up at kick-off.
The above formations are regularly utilised by both sides. Hoffenheim centre-backs Benjamin Hübner and Stefan Posch are comfortable on the ball. Andrej Kramarić and Leonardo Bittencourt push forward in attack and contribute in the goals and assists department. Bayern’s elite playmaker, Thiago Alcântara, is the key man in midfield, while Thomas Müller plays like a wide second striker, expertly drifting into goalscoring positions.
Fast-paced opening
As Bayern dominated the ball in the opening stages, Nagelsmann’s Hoffenheim were set up in a 5-3-2 formation in defence. As is their usual modus operandi, Hoffenheim pressed high to stifle their opposition’s build-up play. With Bayern’s Thiago Alcântara looking to dictate play from a deep midfield role, Hoffenheim focused their high press centrally. However, this sometimes allowed Bayern centre-backs Niklas Süle and Mats Hummels time on the ball in wide areas to pick out forward passes.
