RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich – Bundesliga: TV channel, team news, lineups & prediction
Bundesliga lovers will be treated to a proper blockbuster on Saturday evening as Bayern Munich travel to high-flying RB Leipzig.
These two sides are among several that have impressed in Germany at the start of the 2023/24 campaign. Bayern sit atop the table having enjoyed an unbeaten start, but Leizpig are just a point adrift having won all their encounters since their opening weekend defeat to Bayer Leverkusen.
The hosts head into Saturday’s bout full of confidence having thumped their visitors 3-0 in the DFL-Supercup before the campaign got underway.
Here’s 90min’s preview of the eagerly-anticipated Bundesliga match-up.
RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (all competitions)
|
Country |
TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
|
United Kingdom |
Sky Go UK, NOW, SKY GO Extra, Sky Sports Football |
|
United States |
ESPN+, ESPN App |
|
Canada |
DAZN |
Bundesliga coverage in Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria can be watched on DAZN (subscription) and Sat.1 free to air for Friday games only. Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday games are shown live on Sky Sport Bundesliga (subscription) and highlights on Das Erste (Saturdays and Sundays) and ZDF (Saturdays) free to air.
The hosts could be without Bayern-slayer Dani Olmo on Saturday, who’s a doubt with a minor knee injury, while Timo Werner and Amadou Haidara are both doubts too.
Stalwart defender Willi Orban is a long-term absentee and isn’t expected to return to action until November, leaving Mohamed Simakan to line up alongside summer signing Castello Lukeba in central defence.
Leipzig predicted lineup vs Bayern (4-4-2): Blaswich; Henrichs, Simakan, Lukeba, Raum; Simons, Schlager, Kampl, Carvalho; Sesko, Openda
Serge Gnabry and Thomas Muller have both been added to the injury list this week, and both will miss Saturday’s game. A groin strain is expected to keep Muller out of action until after the October international break, while Gnabry broke his arm in Bayern’s DFB-Pokal win.
Matthijs de Ligt is unlikely to return this weekend after sustaining a knee injury, but Thomas Tuchel hopes both Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae will be fit.
Manuel Neuer and young Tarek Buchmann remain out for the visitors.
Bayern predicted lineup vs Leipzig (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Kim, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sane, Musiala, Coman; Kane
Leipzig certainly aren’t going to have their way with Bayern as they did in the Supercup, especially if they’re without Olmo. In his absence, Xavi Simons will play a particularly important role from a creative perspective.
The hosts have so far drastically overperformed in front of goal, and such efficiency will be needed if they’re to down the perennial champions, who do have some vulnerabilities at the back. Bayern’s high line will encourage the likes of Lois Openda and Benjamin Sesko.
However, the visitors have shown signs of discovering their imperious groove since the Leverkusen draw, and the Kane/Sane connection might be too much for an aggressive Leipzig backline to handle.