FC Bayern entertain VfL Wolfsburg at the Allianz Arena on Friday night in the last game of 2021 (live text and webradio commentary from 20:30 CET on fcbayern.com). At the end of the first half of the Bundesliga season, the team under coach Julian Nagelsmann are looking to go into the winter break with a victory and further cement top spot in the table. In our preview, we have the most important information on the final home match of the year.
Check out the best images from the final Bayern training session ahead of the home game against Wolfsburg:
The situation for FC Bayern
Following Tuesday's emphatic 5-0 away win at VfB Stuttgart, FC Bayern are certain of being top at Christmas. FCB have clocked up 40 points in 16 games – the best return since the 2015/16 season (43 points). Since the introduction of the three points for a win rule, FCB have ended up winning the Bundesliga in 14 out of 15 seasons where they were top halfway through the campaign. Bayern currently have a six-point advantage over second-placed Borussia Dortmund.
Here are the key statements from Nagelsmann's press conference ahead of of Wolfsburg game – including a summary of the first half of the season and an address to the fans 👇
The opponents VfL Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg are currently 11th in the table with 20 points from 16 games. The team under coach Florian Kohfeldt, who took over the helm at the end of October, are on a dip in form at the moment. The Wolves have lost all of their last six games. Tuesday brought a 3-2 home defeat against Köln with a goal conceded in the last minute. Their away record against FC Bayern to date provides little hope for VfL, having never won in 24 Bundesliga visits to the Reds in Munich. FCB have won 22, with two games drawn. "They made a good start with Flo [Kohfeldt] but have recently lost a lot of games. But they remain a good team," Nagelsmann warned in his press conference on Thursday. "They didn't have a bad game against Köln and were very dangerous on the counter-attack. It will be a job for us to negate their strength on the break."
In the last meeting on matchday 29 in 2020/21, FC Bayern secured a 3-2 away win at Wolfsburg, taking a big step forward towards winning the title.
Team news
In addition to Joshua Kimmich, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (both due after-effects of Covid-19), Josip Stanišić (thigh injury), Kingsley Coman (thigh), Leon Goretzka (knee) and Corentin Tolisso (muscle problems) are all sidelined. Marcel Sabitzer does return to the squad after recovering from a calf injury.
Wolfsburg will have to manage on Friday night without the suspended Jérôme Roussillon plus the injured Lukas Nmecha (ankle), Paulo Otavio (knee) and Kevin Mbabu (musclar). Luca Waldschmidt was able to train again on Thursday.
FC Bayern have to manage without Kingsley Coman in the last match of the year:
What the coaches say
Julian Nagelsmann: "We want to go into the game with high concentration levels and win it. There are three important points available to maintain our lead and finish the first half of the season very well. Wolfsburg are a team who are physically very good and they have lots of big players. When you play against a team who aren't doing so well then a lot depends on the way you perform. If you are up for it from the start and create goalscoring opportunities then the confidence of the opponents will not grow. If you play with the handbrake on then there can very quickly be a response of defiance."
Florian Kohfeldt (Wolfsburg coach): "I'm looking forward to the game and we are fully focused. The last matches haven't been good. But on Friday we have the chance to get a result in the Bundesliga and we want to take that with both hands. The situation is emotional and relatively simple. Bayern have lots of exceptional players and they have lots of quality in attack. Those are exactly the situations where you can spring a positive surprise. There is basically a lot of quality in the team."
Check out the stats and facts on the home game against the Wolves:
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