Thomas Tuchel begins his redemption week tonight when Bayern Munich travel to Freiburg in the opening fixture of match day 24 of this season’s Bundesliga. The Bavarians maybe eleven time defending champions but they have their work cut out trying to catch up with runaway leaders Bayer Leverkusen who they trail by eight points and must overturn a 0-1 Uefa Champions League deficit against Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio on Tuesday.
The former Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint Germain and Chelsea boss courted controversy by claiming he alone is not to blame for the Allianz Arena outfit’s problems. His team responded by beating hitherto bogey side RB Leipzig 2-1 thanks to a brace from top scorer Harry Kane who is a bright spot on an otherwise chequered campaign that’s already claimed Tuchel’s job.
Christian Streich’s hosts have this season failed to reached the dizzying heights that brought European football in successive seasons and in Bayern Munich face a side that has beaten them in five consecutive matches. Matter of fact, Tuchel could not have chosen a better opponent. In 39 previous match ups between the sides, Freiburg have only ever won twice.
Bayern Munich are without injured trio Noussair Mazraoui, Sacha Boey and Kingsley Coman as well as suspended defender Dayot Upamecano for tonight’s trip but TT will accept nothing less than maximum points to pile pressure on Leverkusen who will be in action away to improving Cologne. Xabi Alonso’s only injury concerns are striker Victor Boniface and World Cup winning midfielder Exequiel Palacios.
Mainz’s newly appointed Danish boss Bo Henriksen is counting on the 12th man – the home crowd – when his team host a Borussia Moenchengladbach side that’s buzzing from last week’s 5-2 pummelling of Bochum. Basement club Darmstadt’s coach Torsten Liberknecht meantime enters the last chance saloon when they host Augsburg on Saturday trying to end a 17 match winless streak.
FRIDAY
Freiburg v Bayern Munich
SATURDAY
Mainz v Gladbach,
Union Berlin v Borussia Dortmund,
Bochum v RB Leipzig,
Darmstadt v Augsburg,
Heidenheim v Eintracht Frankfurt,
Wolfsburg v Stuttgart
SUNDAY
Hoffenheim v Werder Bremen