It's derby time again! Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich host Bavarian neighbours FC Augsburg at the Allianz Arena on Sunday (live ticker from 15:30 CET). As well as three important points being at stake, the match is also taking place under the banner of "tolerance, respect, diversity, fair play" and the slogan "We love football". fcbayern.com rounds up everything you need to know ahead of the Matchday 25 clash.
The situation
Bayern have a slight cushion of three points over second-placed Leipzig at the top of the table following last weekend's results. "We can't afford any slip-ups," stressed board member Oliver Kahn. "We need to keep the level high because every game is crucial." The Munich men have done that very well in recent matches, winning each of their last three in the league with a goal difference of 13:3. "The efficiency in recent weeks has been very good. We're working on finishing and attacking runs in training," explained coach Hansi Flick.
FC Bayern is taking a stand against exclusion, abuse and intolerance with its 'Reds against Racism' campaign:
The opposition
For Augsburg, 2020 hasn't been going as well. Since the turn of the year, the Fuggerstädter have managed just one win in seven games (D1 L5), leaving them in 13th place going into this weekend. "We're coming into a period now in which we need points," said coach Martin Schmidt. "Otherwise, we could get deeper into the relegation battle. We want to go into the upcoming games with bravery and show that on Sunday." On the personnel front, only goalkeeper Fabian Giefer is unavailable.
Team news
Lucas Hernández and Jérôme Boateng both return for Bayern after missing Tuesday's DFB Cup victory at Schalke, but the game comes too soon for Kingsley Coman after the minor straight he picked up in the Champions League game at Chelsea. Elsewhere, Flick is still without long-term absentees Robert Lewandowski, Ivan Perišić and Niklas Süle.
Great news: Niklas Süle took an important step in his recovery this week:
What the coaches say
Hansi Flick: "We want to win the game as we're playing at home. Augsburg have already done us damage this season, as they did last season. We want to perform with the same conviction as we did against Schalke and Hoffenheim. The team are very focussed right now and are playing with a lot of passion."
Martin Schmidt (FC Augsburg): "We're going there as clear underdogs. No one expects anything of us. We want to rise to that situation. Bayern's defence are often on the halfway line, which creates opportunities to get in behind."
Top fact
Serge Gnabry is on a roll! The winger has been directly involved in 14 goals in 13 Bundesliga games under Hansi Flick (nine goals, five assists), getting on the scoresheet in each of the last three. Gnabry has never been on such a run in Bayern colours – the only time he's scored in four consecutive games was for Hoffenheim during the 2017/18 campaign. With a goal against Augsburg, the 24-year-old would not only equal this record but also set a new personal best of 12 goals in a Bundesliga season.
Show off your knowledge to your friends before the game with our facts:
Topics of this article