Bayern visit Salzburg for first game of new year

FC Bayern ring in the new year with a friendly at Red Bull Salzburg as Vincent Kompany's side play their only friendly of the winter break five days before returning to competitive action in the Bundesliga at Borussia Mönchengladbach.

With a subscription to FC Bayern TV PLUS, you can watch the clash with the Austrian Bundesliga side on Monday (6pm CET) live and exclusively on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app.

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It's 17 days since the Munich men's last outing. The 5-1 victory at home to RB Leipzig just before Christmas was their 11th of the current Bundesliga campaign (D3, L1) and increased their points tally to 36. The German record champions have a four-point lead at the top over closest pursuers Bayer Leverkusen, and with good reason: no team in the German top flight have conceded so few goals (13) or scored as many (47) as Bayern. In the Champions League, where FCB are currently 10th in the league phase, they still have every chance of finishing in the top eight and qualifying directly for the round of 16. So, for Kompany and his team it's about building on the strong first half of the season in the new year.

It couldn't be a busier start to 2025 for the Bavarians, who have three consecutive weeks with midweek fixtures straight away. That makes it all the more important that they're ready for the start against Gladbach this Saturday (6.30pm). Jamal Musiala, Harry Kane and Co. have been laying the groundwork in training this week with four sessions ahead of the trip to Salzburg, including an open session in front of over 2,000 fans on Friday. Monday's encounter will now be another important marker.

Check out the gallery with the photos from Sunday's final training session:

The opponents: Red Bull Salzburg

The 17-time Austrian champions have performed below expectations so far this season. Salzburg are currently languishing in fifth place in the Bundesliga table, 10 points off leaders Sturm Graz. In the Champions League, they can still go through to the play-offs but have won just one and lost five of their six games. Having parted company with coach Pepijn Lijnders in mid-December, ex-Bochum boss Thomas Letsch took over on 1 January. Salzburg have a crucial few weeks ahead and will be hoping the change of coach provides a bounce. The meeting with Bayern is one of two friendlies that Letsch's side are playing during the mid-season break, before their first competitive fixture of the new year at Real Madrid in the Champions League on 22 January.

Red Bull Salzburg vs. FC Bayern - LIVE and exclusive on FC Bayern TV PLUS

With a subscription to FC Bayern TV PLUS, you can watch the clash against Salzburg on Monday live and exclusively from 5.50pm on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app.

More information on a FC Bayern TV PLUS subscription: