Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig faced each other for the first time this season. The two Bundesliga giants have made contrasting starts to the season with RB Leipzig sitting in fourth after 16 games with Bayern Munich third after a disappointing start under new coach Niko Kovač. RB Leipzig had recently drawn Rosenborg in the final UEFA Europa League group stage game that sealed their exit from the competition. They have gone on to thrash Mainz 4-1 in a game which saw Timo Werner and Yussuf Poulsen score a brace.
The match against Bayern Munich was an early season indication of who will lay claim to third and fourth spot with the victor establishing a five-point lead. Bayern Munich lost a 3-2 lead in the 95th minute against Ajax in the UEFA Champions League group stage, a somewhat irritating result for the German club even if the top spot was all but guaranteed. They went on to demolish Hannover 96 4-0 away from home easing pressure off Kovač. A victory against a fierce rival would go a long way in giving the former Eintracht Frankfurt coach some much-needed momentum and possibly a push for the top two positions. This clash promised to be a thrilling encounter with both teams possessing players of the highest quality but one goal decided the outcome. Let’s take a closer look at the key tactical nuances that stood out.
Team news
Bayern Munich
The home team made no changes to a side that thrashed Hannover 96 4-0. The Munich side may have finally found a winning formula scoring seven goals in their last two games. With Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, Franck Ribéry and David Alaba all scoring, Bayern Munich is not solely reliant on goals from Robert Lewandowski.
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