The international break is over and now FC Bayern Women head into the final straight of the Google Pixel Bundesliga campaign with a trip to Duisburg on Matchday 18. Kick-off at the Schauinsland Reisen Arena is at 6.30pm CEST on Sunday. Here’s all you need to know ahead of facing the team in 12th place in our preview.
State of play
Bayern claimed two important victories prior to the international break, first emerging 4-0 winners away at second-placed Wolfsburg. It took the Munich ladies onto 45 points from 17 games and opened up a seven-point lead over the She-Wolves.
The following week, Alexander Straus’s side got the better of Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties in the DFB Cup semi-final. Captain Glodis Viggosdottir and her team will now compete for the trophy against Wolfsburg on Thursday, 9 May in Cologne.
Georgia Stanway’s penalty rounded off a 2-0 win at home to Duisburg earlier this season.
Opponent: Duisburg
It’s been a less than great season so far for Duisburg who sit bottom of the table with only four points from their 17 games. Last term’s 10th-placed team have lost each of their last four and haven’t earned a point since February following back-to-back draws against Freiburg (1-1) and Köln (0-0). Thomas Gerstner’s side are 10 points adrift of safety.
Team news
Straus remains without Katharina Naschenweng (knee), Franziska Kett (muscular), Weronika Zawistowska (cruciate ligament), Cecilia Ran Runarsdottir (kneecap), Ana Maria Guzman (knee) and Tainara (illness). Alara Sehitler also misses the trip through illness. Carolin Simon is still building up fitness after returning to team training. The positive news is that Sarah Zadrazil is available again after his muscle strain.
Giulia Gwinn and Bayern have been focusing on preparing for Sunday’s trip to Duisburg.
Pre-match quotes
Alexander Straus: “We need to do our job and impress our play, tempo and intensity on Duisburg. I’m expecting them to sit deep, and it’s always tough against such opponents. We need to be consistent in finishing our attacks and be clean in our play in the final third. If we do that, we should have a good game.”
Klara Bühl: “We’re approaching the task with full concentration and focus. Like against every opponent, we need to maintain our tension against Duisburg. They have a good defence that we need to break through. We need to be fully there from the start, apply pressure on their back like and always have a drive to goal.”
Read up on the facts ahead of Sunday’s visit to Duisburg:
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