Since the start of 2020, Bayern Munich won the same number of Champions League finals as they have Pokal 2nd rounds. The DFB Pokal, especially the 2nd round, is the true pinnacle of sporting merit, where the wheat is separated from the chaff.
Okay, maybe not. Still, given how long it’s been since Bayern Munich last made a dent in this competition, it’d be nice to actually try for a change.
Team news
In terms of injuries, it’s slowly getting better. Hiroki Ito, Sacha Boey, and Josip Stanišić are all in various stages of recovery, while Aleksandar Pavlović is unlikely to feature again in 2024. Jamal Musiala, however, is fully fit — he proved on Sunday that he’s ready to start games again.
Therefore, given what we know about Kompany, what kind of lineup can we expect? Well, Harry Kane likely starts up top, with Jamal Musiala behind him. Michael Olise is still ahead of Leroy Sané in the pecking order, but Kingsley Coman might get the nod ahead of Serge Gnabry after his performance against Bochum on Sunday.
In midfield, expect the usual — João Palhinha and Joshua Kimmich. Meanwhile, the defense should remain unchanged except for Raphaël Guerreiro in place of Konrad Laimer. With Manuel Neuer in goal, here’s what the lineup may look like:
Looking for a breakdown of the DFB-Pokal match between Bayern Munich and Mainz 05? Great, then we have you covered with our Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show, which is available on Patreon, Spotify, or below:
