The first midweek game of the new year is coming up for FC Bayern. After the bitter 3-2 defeat in the Bundesliga at Borussia Mönchengladbach, the Munich side will play the second round DFB Cup tie against Holstein Kiel on Wednesday (kick-off: 20:45 CET). This is the first competitive game between Bayern and Holstein. fcbayern.com have taken a closer look at the upcoming opponents.
Third in Bundesliga 2
Kiel are in a strong third place in Bundesliga 2 with 29 points after 15 matchdays. The Storks went into the Christmas break as frontrunners after five straight victories to end the year. Since then, there has been a 2-1 defeat to VfL Osnabrück and a 1-1 draw at FC St. Pauli last matchday. In the first round of the DFB Cup in September, the North Germans were clear winners in a 7-1 victory against fifth-tier side FC Rielasingen-Arlen.
Kiel achieved a comfortable success against fifth-tier club FC Rielasingen-Arlen in the first round of the cup.
The top scorer this season is midfielder Alexander Mühling with six goals, followed by striker Janni Serra and offensive player Jae-sung Lee (five goals each). Holstein are coached by Ole Werner. The 32-year-old took over the post in September 2019 from André Schubert, who had succeeded former FC Bayern reserves coach Tim Walter a few months earlier.
Alexander Mühling is the most dangerous striker at Kiel this season with six goals (four of them from penalties).
Second division since 2017/18
Holstein Kiel have played in Bundesliga 2 since the 2017/18 season. In their first year, they made the jump into the promotion playoff game as a newly-promoted side, where they lost out to VfL Wolfsburg. The following season Holstein occupied sixth place in the table, and last year KSV finished in eleventh place. The greatest success in club history was a long time ago - the German championship in 1912. The furthest run in the DFB Cup was to the quarter-finals.
Holstein Kiel were unsuccessful in the 2018 promotion playoff game at VfL Wolfsburg.
Possible last 16 tie against Darmstadt
Bayern would keep the chance of a historic triumph alive with a win on Wednesday. Never before has a team won the DFB Cup three times in a row. In the last 16, the men from Munich would meet SV Darmstadt 98 at the Allianz Arena on 2/3 February.
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