There was a touch of nostalgia when Thomas Tuchel reflected on the Bundesliga record pairing.
“This is a very classic encounter that had the greatest appeal for me as a youngster. It was always spectacular, there were always a lot of goals, there was always a special energy,” said the FC Bayern Munich coach before the home game against SV Werder Bremen on Sunday (3:30 p.m./DAZN).
The last Werder success was a long time ago
Bayern and Bremen, the two football clubs with the most Bundesliga games, are meeting for the 114th time. But unlike the 50-year-old Tuchel’s youth, Werder has no longer been a Munich title competitor for years, but rather a reliable points supplier. Bayern have been unbeaten against Bremen in 28 league games – a record streak in Bundesliga history. Werder’s last victory was over a decade and a half ago. At that time there was a 5-2 win against Klinsmann Bayern in Munich.
“We will base everything in the match on what is best for us, to get the three points,” said Tuchel. New winter signing Eric Dier, who was loaned out from Tottenham Hotspur for six months a week ago, will therefore have to be patient for a possible debut. Dayot Upamecano and Matthijs de Ligt are set as central defenders in the starting lineup. Minjae Kim is still missing because of his secondment to the Asian Cup.
Two fathers are back again
Dier (30) was recently absent due to the birth of his first child, but is now back in training. After the birth of his fourth child with his wife Lina, 28-year-old Joshua Kimmich was also able to complete the final preparation for the start of the second half of the season with the team in Munich after his absence from the short training camp in Portugal. He is firmly planned against the Hanseatic League.
“We had a good time, including during the training sessions,” said Tuchel about the days in the Algarve. “The training sessions were at an absolute top level, now it’s time to be consistent in the games on the pitch bring to.”
New Bayern star?
Tuchel left it open on Saturday whether there would be another winter transfer after Dier. “If there is an opportunity to sign players who, like Eric, we are convinced not only in terms of sport but also in terms of character that they will help the group, then we are open to doing that,” said Tuchel. “The package has to be a big one because we are at a high level.”
Tuchel “did not like to comment” on names like Nordi Mukiele (26 years old/Paris Saint-Germain) or Kieran Trippier (33/Newcastle United). Konrad Laimer should once again help out at right back against Bremen. Even if no new players come, “we won’t move a millimeter away from our goals,” said Tuchel. The Moroccan Noussair Mazraoui is missing from Munich after being injured because he was sent off to the Africa Cup of Nations.
The expected lineups
Bayern Munich: Neuer – Laimer, de Ligt, Upamecano, Davies – Kimmich, Guerreiro – Coman, Musiala, Sané – Kane
Werder Bremen: Zetterer – Stark, Friedl, Jung – Weiser, Lynen, Deman – Schmid, Stage – Njinmah, Borré
Referee: Marco Fritz (basket)
