Berlin: After getting a mid-week “wake-up call” in the German Cup, Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are relishing the chance to prove their might in a top-of-the-table clash at home to RB Leipzig on Sunday.
Bayern’s sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic insists the defending champions want to show nearest rivals Leipzig “who is the boss” at Munich’s Allianz Area. Salihamidzic said the hosts are embracing “the role of favourites”, adding that Leipzig had been “weakened a bit” by poor results. Bayern swept to the top of the table last weekend for the first time since October and have won their last eight games.
However, Hoffenheim found plenty of space to attack in Wednesday’s German Cup third-round tie as Bayern conceded two goals in the final 10 minutes as a comfortable 4-1 lead became a nervy 4-3 victory. “Perhaps it’s quite good to realise before the Leipzig game, that things won’t simply work of their own accord,” admitted Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich. Head coach Hansi Flick called the narrow win a “wake-up call”.
Leipzig, who spent more than a month over Christmas top of the table, have had cold water poured on their title aspirations in recent weeks. A shock 2-0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt a fortnight ago cost them a four-point lead. Then Bayern went a point ahead at the top after Leipzig’s 2-2 draw at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach last Saturday. Another loss at Frankfurt in mid-week, when top-scoring striker Timo Werner and playmaker Emil Forsberg both started on the bench, saw Leipzig dumped them out of the German Cup. (AFP)
