FC Bayern's match away to Fortuna Düsseldorf marks the start of a busy run of eight matches in four weeks ahead of the winter break. The German record champions won both their matches under new head coach Hansi Flick ahead of the international break, and Bayern aim to extend their run against the Rhineland outfit (follow the action in English from 15.30 CET with our exclusive fcbayern.com live updates).
"I want to win every match," stressed Flick, but added, "I know it isn't so easy. But in general I'm optimistic, so I approach every match wanting to win it. And the team want to win too, they want to achieve the maximum."
The situation
The 4-0 victory against Borussia Dortmund not only boosted Bayern's confidence but also kept the gap to top spot at four points. The Bavarians aim to pick up where they left off and cut the gap over the next few matches. "We must make sure we play well and be successful in the next three matches," Flick said, referring to the matches in Düsseldorf, away to Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday and at home to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. One week later they travel to face league leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach in a mouth-watering clash.
The opponents
Fortuna have 11 points from 11 matches, lying 13th in the table. They have taken seven points on home soil, winning both of their last two home matches while keeping a clean sheet. Their last match against Schalke was remarkable as Düsseldorf came from behind three times to claim a 3-3 draw in Gelsenkirchen. However, Fortuna have not won any of their last ten matches against FC Bayern, losing eight and drawing two games. Their last win dates back to April 1991, a 1-0 victory.
Team news
All of Bayern's internationals have returned healthy after ten days of national team duty. The personnel situation is the same as against Dortmund two weeks ago. Jérôme Boateng will miss the match after seeing a red card against Frankfurt. Besides Boateng, Bayern will be without long-term absentees Niklas Süle, Lucas Hernández and Fiete Arp.
What the coaches say
Hansi Flick: "Fortuna performed outstandingly well last season. This season they're very well-organised in defence, they're compact, quick at turnovers and highly efficient up front. We must expect them to push us to our limits in attack. And if we lose possession cheaply they'll try to exploit it. We must minimise the mistakes."
Friedhelm Funkel: "We must close down the space and hope they won't take all their chances. We'll need a goalkeeper who surpasses himself. We must display incredible energy: run, run, run!"
Top fact
Robert Lewandowski boasts 16 goals after 11 Bundesliga matches. The 31-year-old has found the back of the net against 17 of the current 18 Bundesliga clubs in his career - but has yet to do so against Düsseldorf. If Lewandowski extends his impressive run on Saturday, he will have netted against the 26th Bundesliga club in his career.
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