Matchday 32 of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season will continue on Saturday with five fixtures. The action on the day will kick off with four simultaneous matches, including RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich at the Red Bull Arena.
RB Leipzig would have entered the 2024/25 season with a lot of aspirations. However, Marco Rose’s time at the Red Bull Arena ended earlier this season after a disastrous UEFA Champions League campaign that barely yielded a point and a sub-par Bundesliga effort. Zsolt Low has taken over at the club, but they are two points behind fourth-placed SC Freiburg after the 4-0 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.
On the other hand, Bayern Munich would have hoped for a better 2024/25 campaign, having bowed out of the DFB Pokal and the UEFA Champions League earlier than they would have liked. However, Vincent Kompany is on the verge of guiding Die Roten to the Bundesliga title, with second-placed Bayer Leverkusen eight points behind.
The reverse fixture saw Bayern Munich cruise to a 5-1 win over RB Leipzig, with Benjamin Sesko scoring the consolation goal for Die Roten Bullen. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Zsolt Low has a new roster issue that is hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The RB Leipzig manager might be bereft of the services of as many as five first-team players on Saturday.
El Chadaille Bitshiabu is the latest absentee after seeing red against Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend. The French defender has joined Benjamin Henrichs (Achilles), Willi Orban (hamstring), and Xaver Schlager (thigh) on the sidelines. In addition, Low’s is sweating over Peter Gulacsi’s fitness as he recovers from a concussion.
Maarten Vandevoordt will take his spot between the sticks, with RB Leipzig lining up in a 4-4-2 formation in front of him vs Bayern Munich on Saturday. The backline should feature Kosta Nedeljkovic, Lukas Klostermann, Castello Lukeba, and David Raum.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Nicolas Seiwald and Amadou Haidara in the central areas. Ridle Baku and Xavi Simons should start on the flanks, with the latter taking the creative charge for the home side. Finally, Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda will be the two strikers for RB Leipzig against Bayern Munich.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Vandevoordt; Nedeljkovic, Klostermann, Lukeba, Raum; Baku, Seiwald, Haidara, Xavi Simons; Sesko, Openda
Like his counterpart in the RB Leipzig dugout, Vincent Kompany has a new issue to worry about ahead of the trip to the Red Bull Arena. The Bayern Munich manager might be without as many as eight first-team players on Saturday.
Harry Kane is the latest absentee as he serves a suspension due to the accumulation of yellow cards. The English international has joined Tarek Buchmann (shoulder), Alphonso Davies (knee), Hiroki Ito (foot), Dayot Upamecano (knee), and Jamal Musiala (hamstring) on the sidelines. Manuel Neuer (calf) and Raphael Guerreiro (groin) are close to returning but might not feature on Saturday.
Jonas Urbig will deputise for Neuer between the sticks, with Bayern Munich lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs RB Leipzig on Saturday. The backline should feature Konrad Laimer, Eric Dier, Kim Min-jae, and Josip Stanisic.
As for the midfield unit, Leon Goretzka should pair up with Joshua Kimmich in the double pivot, with Aleksandar Pavlovic being a backup option on the bench. Thomas Muller will reprise the no. 10 role, with Michael Olise and Leroy Sane being the two wide attackers. Finally, Serge Gnabry will likely lead the line for Bayern Munich against RB Leipzig in Kane’s absence.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Urbig; Laimer, Dier, Kim, Stanisic; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Muller, Sane; Gnabry
While Benjamin Sesko, Xavi Simons, and Michael Olise were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Thomas Muller as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Bundesliga clash between RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich at the Red Bull Arena.
The veteran German attacker is on the cusp of winning his final trophy with Bayern Munich, and he will be eager to contribute to the Bundesliga title-clinching event. With Harry Kane unavailable due to suspension, one can expect Muller to take the responsibility to deliver the goods in the final third as he closes in on ending his glittering stint with Die Roten.
Time is running out for RB Leipzig to secure UEFA Champions League qualification. However, with Bayern Munich without Harry Kane this weekend, the hosts will fancy their prospects of springing a surprise and delay the Bundesliga title win.
Bayern Munich’s record without Harry Kane in the starting eleven is a mixed bag, with Die Roten winning six and losing six games in the 12 matches he has not featured in from the get-go. However, the Bavarian giants have a healthy scoring record of 2.4 goals per game in his absence.
So, Bayern Munich should have enough quality to eke a narrow victory over RB Leipzig and return to the top of German football by deposing Bayer Leverkusen as the champions. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Vincent Kompany and his charges.
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