Bayern kick off 2024 at home to Hoffenheim

The Bundesliga is back for 2024 as Bayern officially kick off the new year in Germany with a home game against Hoffenheim on Friday (kick-off at 20:30 CET, coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our live text commentary and free web radio). As the action resumes at the Allianz Arena, the goal is to build on the form prior to the winter break. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game.

Check out the photos from final training on Thursday:

State of play for Bayern

Bayern have spent 10 days preparing for the second half of the season. As well as intense training sessions at Säbener Straße, the team also played a friendly match against Basel (1-1). “Things were still a bit rough and stuttering against Basel. We’ve taken a big step forward this week. I can sense that we’re absolutely ready to get going fully,” said head coach Thomas Tuchel at his press conference on Thursday. His team currently sit second in the Bundesliga table, four points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen but with a game in hand. “We’ve got the chance to move closer to Leverkusen. We want to get on a bit of a run over the next three home games and keep up the pressure. The goal is clearly that we want to be champions,” Tuchel added.

Bayern want to start a new year with a win again:

Opponent: Hoffenheim

Hoffenheim are seventh in the table after 16 matchdays with 24 points. They have been particularly good on the road, earning 16 points from their eight away games – the third-best total across the division. However, Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side hit a bit of a slump prior to the winter break, winning only one of their last seven league outings (D3, L3). Only bottom side Darmstadt earned fewer points over that run (three). TSG’s friendly before the restart saw them beaten 1-0 in Augsburg. However, Tuchel is aware of the opposition’s strengths: “They have a midfield that can play and move, lots of speed up front and different types of players. We need to be very disciplined and work hard in counter-pressing to avoid counters.”

Catch up on what Tuchel said in his press conference:

Personnel

Bayern remain without the injured Bouna Sarr (cruciate ligament) and Serge Gnabry (muscular). Minjae Kim and Noussair Mazraoui are also both absent as they compete at the Asian Cup and Africa Cup of Nations respectively.

Marco John and Mergim Berisha (both cruciate ligaments) are missing for Hoffenheim, who are still also without Dennis Geiger and Bambase Conte through injury. Diadie Samassekou is representing Mali at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Read up on the stats ahead of the game:

What the coaches say