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In between the two semi-final clashes against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, FC Bayern have Bundesliga business to attend to again at the weekend. The newly crowned German champions host 1. FC Heidenheim at the Allianz Arena on Saturday (live text and free Web Radio commentary from 15:30 CEST on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app). We’ve compiled the important information on the match in our preview.
The best photos from Friday’s final training session:
Latest news from Bayern
Vincent Kompany made no bones about the challenge of balancing Bundesliga everyday with the electrifying Champions League nights. “The game against PSG was obviously very intense and the anticipation for the second leg is very high in all of Munich,” explained the Bayern head coach in his press conference on Friday. At the same time, he made it clear that the home match against Heidenheim is by no means taking a backseat just because the title is already secured and there’s a big European night coming up. “We don't want to give anyone any gifts,” stressed Kompany, pointing to the 4-3 win at Mainz last weekend as the benchmark. “We showed with our mentality that we're doing everything to be ready.”
The facts on the match against Heidenheim:
Michael Olise, Harry Kane and their teammates demonstrated impressive character in Rhineland-Palatinate and produced a stunning comeback from 3-0 down at half-time. Precisely that kind of resilience will be required in the second leg against PSG – and is a recurring theme of this Bayern season. At Freiburg a month ago, for example, the record champions also turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 win. These comebacks are one of the reasons why the Munich men are currently enjoying the second-best Bundesliga campaign in the club’s history with 82 points after 31 matchdays – only in 2012/13 did they have more points at this stage.
Kompany was therefore deliberately businesslike in formulating his task ahead of the meeting with Heidenheim. “My job is to keep the focus on Heidenheim, which I'm trying to do every day.” With the aim, too, of keeping up the tension ahead of the showdown at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday. Recent results show clearly how consistently the record champions approach the league schedule, even alongside the big Champions League nights: the last five Bundesliga matches have yielded five wins. “We're going to do our best to win,” declared Kompany – a clear signal that the focus will remain sharp, even beyond the PSG match.
Read all the main statements from the pre-match press conference here:
The opponents: Heidenheim
Bayern’s opponents have their back against the wall with three matchdays left. Four points currently separate Heidenheim from the relegation play-off spot, while it’s nine points to outright survival in 15th – all but out of reach. Defeat at the Allianz Arena could spell the end of FCH’s two-year stay in the Bundesliga if FC St. Pauli beat 1. FSV Mainz 05 at home on Sunday. However, the Baden-Württemberg club’s recent form does offer some hope: they’ve collected eight points from their last five home games.
Long-serving coach Frank Schmidt is well aware that the situation ahead of the trip to Munich could hardly be more difficult. “You can’t be more of an outsider,” admitted the 52-year-old at his press conference on Thursday. For him, that places even more emphasis on the inner attitude. “At the end of the day, it’s about going there with the belief that, on a perfect day, we can get something from Munich.” Schmidt also made it clear that his side won’t just put up a rearguard action. “It’s obviously we’re not going to be able to storm forward non-stop, but if we only try to defend our goal, it’s just a question of time before Bayern score.”
We examine FCH in more detail in our analysis:
The team news
Bayern are without Serge Gnabry (adductor), Lennart Karl and Raphaël Guerreiro (both hamstring). "I hope that Tom Bischof will be back already tomorrow,” revealed Kompany on Friday. The 20-year-old midfielder, who’s been sidelined since mid-April with a minor muscle tear in his left calf, has been back training with the team in the last couple of days.
For the visitors, long-term absentees Leart Paçarada and Sirlord Conteh remain sidelined, while Christian Conteh is absent for personal reasons. Mathias Honsak will also “most likely” not be available, confirmed Schmidt. Bayern loanee Arijon Ibrahimović has been absent this week because of illness, but the head coach is hopeful he’ll return.
Test your knowledge on the upcoming Bundesliga encounter in the Matchday Quiz:
What the coaches say
We're at a stage where every game is important. Heidenheim have won two of their last three games. A relegation battle is mentally very tough; great respect for them.
Vincent Kompany
We have to hit our absolute maximum in every area, but that still won't be enough. You also need a dose of luck.
Frank Schmidt (Heidenheim)
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