Bayern Munich stumbled into the international break with a disappointing loss at Aston Villa sandwiched between Bundesliga draws against Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt. The schedule doesn’t get any easier as Bayern host Stuttgart before traveling to Barcelona for a high profile clash against Bayern alumni Hansi Flick and Robert Lewandowski.
During the three winless matches, Bayern faced quality opponents who opted to defend with a low block to limit space in the final third. Bayern failed to consistently break down or circumnavigate the defensive shell. Stuttgart boss Sebastian Hoeneß is surely contemplating a similar strategy.
“It will always be special to play against Bayern,” Hoeneß told Bild (via @iMiaSanMia). “Not just because of my past in Munich, but simply because it’s FC Bayern. They’re still the best, even though they haven’t won the title. They’re playing good and very intense football again this season. We have to show our best side. In Munich we’re not going to face a deep block, there will be man-to-man marking across the entire pitch. We need different strategies.”
Stuttgart is also on a three-match winless streak, earning draws against Wolfsburg, Sparta Prague, and Hoffenheim.
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on where Bayern Munich stands at the moment, along with updates on the contract situations of Joshua Kimmich and Jamal Musiala, plus a breakdown of “The Kompany Rules”? Great, then check out our Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show on Patreon, Spotify, or below:
