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The first title of the new season is at stake! FC Bayern travel to face DFB Cup winners VfB Stuttgart in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup on Saturday (kick-off at 20:30 CEST, live coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our text commentary and free web radio). The first competitive match awaits the German record champions 17 days after the start of pre-season. Read in our preview where the teams are after the intense weeks and about the personnel situation ahead of the south Germany showdown.
📸 The best images from Friday’s final training session:
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The German record champions played three friendlies during pre-season, leaving the pitch as winners each time. Vincent Kompany’s team displayed a strong early form at home in the 2-1 victory over Olympique Lyon and the 4-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur. Bayern and Luis Díaz, who made his debut as a starter, displayed a lot of verve against the Europa League winners in particular.
Munich enjoyed a successful dress rehearsal away at Grasshoppers. Many young talents used their minutes on the pitch to lay down a marker, first and foremost scorers Lennart Karl and Jonah Kusi-Asare. “We’re very proud when we’re able to introduce young Campus players into the first team,” Kompany said at Friday’s pre-match press conference. “In the long term we’re in a good position regaring the youth, they’ll get their chance in the course of the season.”
The season starts with a true acid test. Away at the DFB Cup winners Stuttgart – with the first title at stake straightaway. “I know from experience you like to say the Supercup is very important after you won it,” Kompany said with a wink. “I've won it a few times in my career, and for us as a club, every title is important.”
📊 The facts on the Supercup:
The opponents: VfB Stuttgart
Needless to say, VfB too aim to clinch the next trophy. “We’re fired up to play and potentially hoist another trophy,” head coach Sebastian Hoeneß had said at the press conference on Thursday: “We came really close last year. This year we’ll try to finally achieve it.” His men know they have to surpass themselves and turn in “an absolutely top performance” to take their chance. Stuttgart face “the best team in Germany without a doubt and one of the best teams in Europe,” said Hoeneß.
The Swabians contested five friendlies this summer. After the 7-1 victory over amateur club SV Fellbach, they scored decent results against stronger opponents (4-4 draw against PSV Einhoven, 2-1 win over Celta Vigo, 6-0 victory over Toulouse) Only the dress rehearsal at home failed – Hoeneß’ men lost 1-0 to Europa League hopefuls Bologna. Nevertheless, the atmosphere in Bad Cannstatt is positive with regard to the new season. “We hope we can build on this positive feeling we’ve earned in the match against Bayern,” added Hoeneß.
Harry Kane & Co. won their last match away at Stuttgart 3-1. | © FC Bayern
Team news
FC Bayern will have to make do without Alphonso Davies (torn cruciate ligament), Jamal Musiala (fractured fibula), Hiroki Ito (metatarsal fracture) and Aleksandar Pavlović (eye socket fracture) in Saturday’s match.
VfB Stuttgart will be without Alexander Nübel and Silas. Leonidas Stergiou is in rehab, according to Hoeneß, whereas Angelo Stiller is fit again and ready to play.
What the coaches say
I know from experience you like to say the Supercup is very important after you won it. If you don't win, you tend to say it isn't so important. I've won it a few times in my career, and for us as a club, every title is important.
Vincent Kompany, FC Bayern head coach
We shouldn’t have too high hopes that Bayern will go to Stuttgart in poor form because of their unusual pre-season. But we’ll be ready, and we’re looking forward to this duel.
Sebastian Hoeneß, VfB Stuttgart head coach
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