RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich lock horns on Saturday at the Red Bull Arena, as the Bundesliga leaders look to extend their unbeaten record in the Bundesliga.
The encounter pits first-place Bayern, who sit 11 points clear at the summit with just two draws on their record, against third-placed Leipzig, who are determined to upset the odds following their devastating 6-0 defeat at the hands of the Bavarians in August.
RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 17th January.
- Kick-off: 5:30pm BST.
- Venue: Red Bull Arena, Leipzig.
RB Leipzig team news
RB Leipzig face significant selection challenges heading into Saturday’s encounter. Johan Bakayoko remains sidelined with a persistent calf injury and will not feature in the match. The injury setback also affects midfielder Assan Ouédraogo, the promising 19-year-old who suffered a new knee problem during Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Freiburg. According to head coach Ole Werner, “The next day he reported discomfort. We’re still in the diagnostic process.” Ouédraogo is expected to miss several weeks of action, having already suffered a similar knee injury earlier this season.
Lukas Klostermann remains unavailable due to an infection, while new signing Suleiman Sani continues his absence as he works through work visa complications. However, full-back Benjamin Henrichs has returned to the squad for the first time this year, though he is not yet fit enough to start. Leipzig captain David Raum expressed confidence despite the absences, telling the media that his side is “a completely different team to the one that played Bayern last time” and pledged that they will “play with courage” at home.
Bayern Munich team news
Bayern Munich will have to manage without Konrad Laimer for the foreseeable future. The 28-year-old Austrian suffered a torn muscle fibre in his left calf during Wednesday evening’s 3-1 Bundesliga victory at 1. FC Köln, despite playing the entirety of the match. Depending on the severity of the tear, a recovery period of between two and eight weeks is expected. Sky Germany journalist Kerry Hau believes Laimer will be unavailable for around three to four weeks in total.
Defender Josip Stanisic, who twisted his ankle during Bayern’s 8-1 demolition of Wolfsburg, will not return in January and faces a spell of several more weeks on the sidelines. Sacha Boey remains absent with illness, while attacker Nicolas Jackson is currently away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, Bayern received positive news on the injury front. Jamal Musiala has been cleared to return after a lengthy six-month injury layoff sustained during the Club World Cup in July. The 22-year-old German forward has been back in full training for two weeks, and head coach Vincent Kompany confirmed: “If everything goes well today, he’ll be there. That’s a great thing. He exudes a lot of positive energy.” Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies are also expected to be available, with Kompany stating that Kimmich “might even be able to play again tomorrow.”
Form
RB Leipzig
Ole Werner’s Leipzig side enjoyed a much-improved showing at the mid-season point compared to their humiliating opening-day loss. The Red Bulls won 2-0 against SC Freiburg on Wednesday, returning to winning ways after two losses. Die Roten Bullen currently sit third in the Bundesliga table with 10 wins, 2 draws, and 4 losses from 16 matches, accumulating 32 points.
Bayern Munich
The Bavarian giants extended their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga, securing eight wins and a draw in their last nine matches across all competitions. Bayern’s 3-1 victory over Cologne on Wednesday continued their unbeaten season in the league, with 15 wins from 17 matches. They sit atop the league on 47 points.
Predicted lineups
RB Leipzig: Gulacsi; Nedeljkovic, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Schlager, Seiwald, Baumgartner; Maksimovic, Harder, Gomis
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Ito; Pavlovic, Goretzka; Olise, Gnabry, Diaz; Kane
How to watch RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich?
UK fans can watch the game live on Sky Sports+.
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