Keep going, just keep going! In accordance with former captain Oliver Kahn's legendary statement, FC Bayern will play their next competitive match just three days after their assured 2-0 win away to last season's runners-up Schalke 04. On Tuesday evening, the record champions play host to their neighbours FC Augsburg at the Allianz Arena for the first Wiesn [Oktoberfest] home game of the current season.
Head coach Niko Kovac knows what his team can expect against Augsburg, and gave a little insight into his opponents’ tactical set-up. "It'll be a very intense game. They play man on man, sometimes across the whole pitch, and we have to make sure we find a solution to their man-marking strategy." Fellow Bavarians FCA have only four points from their four games, but the FCB boss feels they have "played quite well so far."
With another victory, the Reds could further extend their lead over their closest rivals Hertha BSC, who travel to Bremen on Tuesday evening and will be the table-toppers’ next opponents on Friday evening. At the same time they would give their chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge the best present on his 63rd birthday.
Packed schedule, rotation likely
However, Kovac warned against "viewing everything as too rosy" and thinking that "we can run at half-strength now or with less than we’ve already displayed," despite the seven victories in seven competitive games so far. "We're being chased - by everyone," stressed the 46-year-old. "We have to concentrate on every game, we must guard against being negligent, and we have to remain focused."
Kovac picks from the same squad as last Saturday in Gelsenkirchen. However, in view of the upcoming tasks in Berlin and against Amsterdam giants Ajax on Tuesday next week, he has to think "one or two steps ahead. We want to make sure we give everyone the opportunity to play and also bring on fresh legs." So it's quite possible that more changes will be made against Augsburg.
Augsburg head coach Manuel Baum has quite different worries just one day before the away match in Munich - namely, who to pick to play between the sticks. Fabian Giefer cut an unfortunate figure in the 2-1 defeat at Mainz and the 3-2 loss against Bremen. Baum hopes that the recently injured Andreas Luthe will be fit and provide an option for Tuesday. Even if their opponents seem unassailable - in the last clash in April the Reds clinched the championship ahead of schedule with a 4-1 win - Baum was defiant: "Why shouldn't we get something out of the match against Bayern?"
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