Top striker Harry Kane and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer are fit to play again after illnesses as Bayern Munich are raring to go in a bid to end a winless run of two games in the Bundesliga on Sunday against high-flying Hoffenheim. "The energy in training has been top.
Top striker Harry Kane and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer are fit to play again after illnesses as Bayern Munich are raring to go in a bid to end a winless run of two games in the Bundesliga on Sunday against high-flying Hoffenheim.
"The energy in training has been top. We've enjoyed this full week of training," coach Vincent Kompany told reporters on Saturday.
"Everyone's back. If things go as I think they will, then Manu will train today, then we've got everyone available. Harry was ill at the start of the week, but the guys are fit."
Bayern suffered their first league defeat of the season two weeks ago when they lost 2-1 at home against Augsburg. They were then held 2-2 at SV Hamburg as their lead over Borussia Dortmund shrunk to six points.
It could even be three points by kick-off if Dortmund win in Wolfsburg on Satuday but Kompany insisted that "I'm not concerned with that" and rather looking at his team's ambitions after a week without a mid-week fixture.
"It's the same hunger. We had seven games in 20 days. We've showed that hunger since 1 January, including in those first games with those results. But when you have so many games, including away from home, a week like we've just had is sometimes good. You can then enjoy it. We've been able to prepare," he said.
The match pits the league's two best attacks against each other, with Bayern having scored 74 goals and Hoffenheim, who have won their last five games, 43.
Bayern board member for sport Max Eberl praised Hoffenheim as the surprise team of the season and "like a phoenix rising from the ashes" to third place, nine points off the top.
Kompany said: "We've always showed when a team wants to bring that intensity that we're there and can play well.
"I think it's always good when an opponent brings that intensity. That's also good for the fans. That brings the best out of a game. We're up for this one, because that's one of our strengths, but also one of theirs."
The match is not only a duel between top scorer Kane and Andrej Kramaric who has netted eight times against Bayern but also one between goalkeepers Neuer and Oliver Baumann with a look at the World Cup.
Baumann played for Germany's national team in all six World Cup qualifiers in autumn in place of injured first choice keeper Marc-André ter Stegen.
Girona's Ter Stegen is now sidelined again for months with a thigh muscle injury which endangers his participation at the World Cup in summer because he will lack matches.
Baumann would be the natural choice to take over but there have also been calls for national team coach Julian Nagelsmann to approach the 2014 World Cup winner Neuer, who played at every major tournament since 2010 before retiring from the national team after Euro 2024.
The 39-year-old has so far dismissed all comeback suggestions, and has also not said yet whether he will renew his Bayern contract for another season.
"I can give him bits of advice sometimes. But he's got enough experience to make his own decisions. He's a special person and a special goalkeeper. I want him to enjoy the way he's performing right now. Everything else is for the media to discuss," Kompany said.
Category: General Sports
