Bayern head to Bochum with clear objective

FC Bayern are out to make it three wins from as many games at the start of the new Bundesliga season as they head to Bochum on Sunday (kick-off 17:30 CEST, live coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our text commentary and free web radio). Back in the fold after his suspension following a red card on Matchday 33 of last term is Kingsley Coman. “I’m very happy I can play again, and I’ll have fun – that’s for certain,” the Bayern No.11 said. Here’s all you need to know on the match at the Ruhrstadion.

Check out the best photos from final training on Saturday:

Situation for Bayern

Bayern head to the Ruhr full of confidence, following up the scintillating displays against RB Leipzig (5-3) in the Supercup and Eintracht Frankfurt (6-1) in the opening Bundesliga fixture with a commanding 2-0 victory at home to Wolfsburg last time out. “We’ve started perfectly. It’s fun when the team plays like this,” Coman added before the game. Victory at Bochum would see Julian Nagelsmann’s team continue their flawless start and take back top spot in the table after three matchdays as the only team still to boast a 100 per cent record with nine points.

We spoke with Coman ahead of the Bochum game:

The opposition

Bochum have begun this campaign in starkly contrasting fashion. After they comfortably avoided relegation after coming up last season, Thomas Reis’s side have now narrowly lost both of their league outings in 2022/23. They followed a 2-1 home defeat to Mainz with a 3-2 loss at Hoffenheim last time out despite taking a two-goal lead. However, Bayern know not to underestimate their hosts after last season’s 4-2 loss in Bochum. “The defeat is still in our minds. They have a goalkeeper in [Manuel] Riemann who plays lots of good long balls. But they also had footballing solutions against us. We have to be prepared for everything,” Nagelsmann said at his Friday press conference.

Watch Nagelsmann’s press conference in full here:

Player update

“We have a few question marks,” Nagelsmann added. It means he’ll have to wait and see to what extent Matthijs de Ligt (hand), Serge Gnabry (wrist) and Dayot Upamecano (knock) can feature. In-form Jamal Musiala is also a major doubt. “As things stand, he’ll miss out. He’s got a tear in his hip/adductor area,” the coach confirmed. Nagelsmann had planned to make two changes to the team, but now “it’ll maybe be three”. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (recovery training) and Leon Goretzka (knee) are both out. Coman is a candidate to start after serving his suspension, according to Nagelsmann.

Bochum are set to be without Danilo Soares (hip), Jannes Horn (muscular), Konstantinos Stafylidis (muscular), Patrick Osterhage (knee) and Lys Mousset (fitness). Forward Gerrit Holtmann was able to train again on Friday. New signing Jacek Goralski could also make the matchday squad for the first time.

Facts and stats on the Bochum fixture:

What the coaches say

Julian Nagelsmann: “It’s always a good atmosphere in Bochum. It’s important that we set up for both situations, to flat build-up, to playing through [Anthony] Losilla and [Kevin] Stöger, but also to long balls.”

Thomas Reis (Bochum head coach): “We want to be awkward for the opposition and keep the game open as long as possible. We have to defend well but also have the courage to find gaps. We’ll have to do a lot of work. But we’re looking forward to this game and the face that Bochum again gets to face Bayern twice this season.”