Bayern seeking rhythm from Köln home game

FC Bayern welcome Köln to the Allianz Arena on Saturday (kick-off at 3.30pm CEST, live coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our text commentary and free web radio) looking to build on their impressive run of 19 Bundesliga meetings unbeaten. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our preview.

Check out the photos from final training on Friday:

State of play

Having lost the last two Bundesliga games, Bayern are having to look over their shoulder now, with VfB Stuttgart level on points in third place. Leaders Bayer Leverkusen could also finally put an end to the Munich club’s minimal chance of defending their title this weekend. However, this game against Köln isn’t just essential for ensuring a place in next season’s Champions League but also for going further in Europe this term.

Four days after this clash with Köln, Bayern host Arsenal in the quarter-final second leg. It means Thomas Tuchel is thinking about “making a few changes”, as he revealed at his press conference on Friday. But that would only be to “give players some rhythm who we need on Wednesday, and less so out of needing to rest people,” the 50-year-old explained.

Read more from Tuchel at his press conference here:

Opponent: Köln

Köln are in the thick of the relegation battle as they begin the weekend second from bottom but did end their seven-game winless streak last time out with a dramatic late comeback against fellow strugglers Bochum. “We believed in ourselves till the end, and that’s a quality in itself,” said coach Timo Schultz of the vital victory that moved the Billy Goats to within four points of their beaten opponents in the first safe spot. Giving up is no option when down at the bottom, no matter who they have to face. “We have to continue to believe in ourselves and muster up all our courage,” Schulz added.

Read up on the facts ahead of the game:

Team news

Bayern are likely to be without Leroy Sane for Saturday after Tuchel confirmed he again had pain in his pelvic bone after Tuesday’s game at Arsenal. Serge Gnabry is definitely out after tearing his hamstring in London, joining Sacha Boey (hamstring), Bouna Sarr (ACL) and Tarek Buchmann (muscular) on the sidelines. Tuchel also won’t be on the touchline for this game as he serves a suspension for four yellow cards. Zsolt Löw and Anthony Barry will oversee things from the dugout.

Köln come to Munich without the suspended Eric Martel, Luca Kilian (ACL) and striker Davie Selke, who will miss the rest of the season with a broken metatarsal. Schultz also confirmed that Mark Uth is not yet an option despite his return to training.

What the coaches say