After two weeks of sweat-inducing training sessions, FC Bayern go into competitive mode on Saturday for the first time in their preparations for the 2021/22 season. The German record champions meet Bundesliga rivals 1. FC Köln in Villingen in their first friendly of the summer.
Kick-off is at 16:00 CEST and you can follow the action in our live ticker.
Before the match, FC Bayern, FC Köln and partner Telekom will hand over a donation for the victims of the flood disaster in Germany:
Debuts against Köln
For most observers at this friendly, the main attention will be on Julian Nagelsmann as he takes charge of his first game as Bayern coach. How will he set his team up and how will they play? These questions will have been on the minds of Bayern fans for weeks, and the meeting with Köln will give them a first insight. Along with Nagelsmann, Dayot Upamecano and Omar Richards could also make their Bayern debuts. The two defenders moved to Munich from RB Leipzig and Reading respectively over the summer and now want to show what they can do.
The opponents: 1. FC Köln
Last season was a tough one for the Billy Goats. The Rhineland club had to see off Holstein Kiel in the play-off to secure their Bundesliga survival at the last moment. As well as a number of new signings such as former Schalke striker Mark Uth, Köln have a new coach for this season in Steffen Baumgart.
The team news for Bayern vs. Köln
Julian Nagelsmann shows his team what to do using the tactics board. The friendly against Köln is the first chance to put it into practice.
The majority of Bayern’s internationals are still on a well-deserved holiday and will only link up with the team over the next couple of weeks. This means that, along with new signings Upamecano and Richards, several young talents as well as returnees Sven Ulreich, Michaël Cuisance and Chris Richards have the chance to impress.
We accompanied Omar Richards during his first few days in Munich 👇
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