FCB Women visit Essen: 'Have to reach our potential'
Finally Bundesliga again! After a weekend off, FC Bayern Women are back in action in the FLYERALARM Women's Bundesliga on Saturday 6 May with a trip to SGS Essen. Kick-off at the Stadion Essen is at 13:00 CEST. The state of play, pre-match quotes, team news – it's all in the preview.
The state of play
Alexander Straus' side have won every Bundesliga game in 2023 and sit atop the table. Last time out, braces from Sydney Lohmann and Maximiliane Rall helped the team to an 8-2 success against SC Freiburg. FCB conceded goals number five and six of the current campaign against the Black Forest outfit, but still boast the best defence in the league. Goalkeeper Maria Luisa Grohs has registered 13 clean sheets as part of that – another league best.
The opponents
Essen won 1-0 away to Turbine Potsdam in their last outing, leaving them seventh in the table. The Ruhr club have been playing in the top flight for 20 years and have produced several talents, including Bayern duo Lea Schüller and Linda Dallmann.
The statistics
Bayern have won their last seven meetings with Essen, conceding just a solitary goal in the process. Of a total of 36 encounters, FCB have won 25, SGS five and six have been drawn. The Reds won 2-0 in the reverse fixture at the FC Bayern Campus in November.
The team news
Long-term absentees Linda Dallmann (syndesmosis tear), Giulia Gwinn (ACL tear) and Franziska Kett (shoulder injury) remain sidelined. Tainara will also miss the trip to Essen due to a muscular problem.
The pre-match quotes
Head coach Alexander Straus: "The principle for the match against Essen is the same as it has been all season: we have to go out there, do our thing and give our best. They made it very difficult for us in the reverse fixture in Munich and caused us problems. It's about us, we have to do our job and reach our potential. If we do that, we can win every game, including this one."
Klara Bühl: "Essen have picked up over the course of the season. They had problems at the start, but now they're delivering very good performances consistently. They can trouble big teams, so we're expecting an uncomfortable game. They're very strong on the counter and have young players who want to play football and play without fear. For us it's about asking questions of them and forcing them into mistakes, so as to generate chances from that."