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Bayern host Bochum at the Allianz Arena in the Bundesliga this Saturday (kick-off at 3.30pm CET, live coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our text commentary and free web radio) looking to build on their excellent home record this season (11 wins and one draw in the league) and pick up three more important points in their quest for the title. Here’s all you need to know about the Matchday 25 encounter in our preview.
Check out the best photos from final training:
Latest news from Bayern
Bayern come into this game with plenty of momentum as they prepare to don their 125th-anniversary jerseys. Having produced impressive Bundesliga wins over Eintracht Frankfurt (4-0) and at VfB Stuttgart (3-1), Vincent Kompany’s men then laid down a marker in the Champions League with a 3-0 victory at home to Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their round of 16 tie. Another win against Bochum is now the target as the Bavarians look to maintain their rhythm and also cement their lead at the top of the Bundesliga table. Going into the weekend, that advantage stands at eight points ahead of Leverkusen.
The Bochum game is by no means a breather between the two Champions League legs against Leverkusen, though. “I know that these kinds of games like against Bochum now are the most dangerous when you go into them thinking things will just work out. Our approach is that only tomorrow is of interest right now,” Kompany affirmed at his pre-match press conference. “It’s a question of mentality, how you prepare for games. There’s no change when it comes to Bochum. We are where we are in the league because we approach every match the same way and don’t see a difference between Dortmund or Bochum.”
Read more from Kompany at the pre-match press conference here:
Opponent: Bochum
Bochum only survived relegation last season thanks to a play-off victory, but they are once again battling at the bottom end of the table. After a poor start to the campaign with only two points from 13 games, they were seen as gone already. However, the Ruhr club have shown considerable improvement under Dieter Hecking, who took over in November, and now have genuine hope of staying up. They currently sit in 16th place – the play-off spot – with 17 points on the board, which includes a win they were awarded against Union Berlin.
VfL’s all-round play has also improved in recent weeks. January signings Tom Krauß and Georgios Masouras in particular have helped stabilise things. “I know how a club in a relegation battle goes about preparing for things in a week like this. You don’t have the luxury of deciding which games are important and which are less so. Every game is about the job, about the club, about the fans. You're focused on every corner, every duel, every ball,” Kompany said of Bochum’s mentality.
Read up on the facts ahead of the game:
Team news
Bayern are without captain Manuel Neuer after he suffered a calf strain against Leverkusen on Wednesday. Jonas Urbig will start in goal, with Sven Ulreich on the bench. Aleksandar Pavlovic is also unavailable due to a lingering infection.
Bochum come to Munich without top scorer Myron Boadu, winger Gerrit Holtmann (both muscular) and centre-back Ivan Ordets (hip).
Bayern and Bochum are connected by a long-standing fan friendship:
What the coaches say
I don't want so much self-praise. Our focus shouldn't be any different to Wednesday.
Vincent Kompany
We know what to expect. I very much expect us to have to defend in a low block. We’ll go about the job with the required respect, but we can’t put ourselves down.
Dieter Hecking (Bochum)
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