Runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich will be battling fatigue and hosts Eintracht Frankfurt when they hunt a perfect 11 wins from 11 league games today.
In a busy period, the Bavarian giants are in the middle of playing five games in two weeks and have just a three-day turnaround after their DFB Pokal win at VfL Wolfsburg.
Bayern then host Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday next week, hunting revenge for their 2-0 defeat in London two weeks earlier — their only defeat of the season.
Photo: Reuters
Pep Guardiola’s side knocked holders Wolfsburg out of the DFB Pokal on Tuesday with a 3-1 second-round win.
“We need to gather our strength as quickly as possible for Friday,” Dutch winger Arjen Robben said.
With a seven-point lead at the top of the table, Bayern face an Eintracht side reeling from their shock DFB Pokal defeat by third-division Erzgebirge Aue on Tuesday.
Frankfurt have won only one of their past seven games, while Bayern have won their past six against Eintracht without conceding a goal.
They are on a record-breaking run of 33 goals after 10 matches — no team has ever scored more in Bundesliga history at this stage of the season.
Second-placed Borussia Dortmund are also busy and face their sixth fixture in the space of two weeks at Werder Bremen’s Weserstadion tomorrow, but the Dortmund goal-machine is in full swing with Thomas Tuchel’s attack having now hit 61 goals in 19 games so far this season.
Dortmund warmed up with a 7-1 demolition of second-division SC Paderborn 07 on Wednesday as right winger Gonzalo Castro scored twice and set up two goals.
Top-scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was left on the bench, despite the Gabon striker being the league’s top scorer with 13 goals in 10 games.
Dortmund have a score to settle as Bremen’s 2-1 victory in December last year ensured Dortmund spent the winter break in the relegation zone.
Bremen broke a five-game losing streak at FSV Mainz 05 last Saturday to escape the bottom three.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg clash at the Volkswagen Arena tomorrow with the hosts fourth in the league, while Bayer are just a point behind in sixth.
Wolfsburg were the only team Leverkusen lost both league matches to last season and the teams last met in a nine-goal thriller in February when Wolfsburg won 5-4.
Wolfsburg will be without striker Max Kruse for both the visit of Leverkusen and next Tuesday’s away match at PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League.
The 27-year-old has a hamstring injury and midfielder Christian Traesch is doubtful with a thigh injury.
In-form Hertha BSC and Borussia Moenchengladbach clash tomorrow in the capital, with Moenchengladbach chasing a sixth straight win under caretaker coach Andre Schubert.
The 44-year-old is on the verge of getting the job permanently having taken the team from bottom of the table to seventh.
Moenchengladbach were bottom when Schubert stepped in after Lucien Favre quit last month after five straight defeats.
Hertha are fifth and are unbeaten at home this season having won their past three in succession.
Moenchengladbach have scored eight and conceded just twice in two Bundesliga away games under Schubert.
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