Bayern Munich entertain Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga today with the reigning champions looking to extend their lead at the top of the table.
Bremen, meanwhile, have drawn four league matches in a row by the score line of 1-1.
Since losing to Hoffenheim in late September, Hansi Flick’s side have won 10 successive matches in all competitions.
The most recent of those came before the recent international break in the shape of a crucial 3-2 win over title rivals Borussia Dortmund in a thrilling encounter.
Erling Braut Haaland was guilty of missing several chances for Dortmund, with Robert Lewandowski displaying more clinical finishing. The Poland striker would have had a hat-trick were it not for VAR, with two of his three strikes disallowed for being marginally offside.
Marco Reus had given Dortmund the lead on the stroke of half time, before David Alaba’s deflected free kick levelled proceedings heading into the break. Lewandowski and Leroy Sane took the game away from Dortmund before Haaland finally converted after rounding Manuel Neuer, but it proved to be too little, too late for the hosts in what could prove to be a decisive result come the end of the season.
After narrowly surviving relegation in a playoff with Heidenheim last season, Werder Bremen manager Florian Kohfeldt will be encouraged by the seven-point gap currently between his side and the relegation zone.
Indeed, Bremen have impressively remained unbeaten since losing to Hertha Berlin on the opening day of the season, rather curiously drawing their last four matches all by the score line of 1-1.
The most recent of those draws came prior to the international break at home to FC Koln. An insipid first half was most noteworthy for Koln goalkeeper Timo Horn’s injury after a clash with Joshua Sargent, forcing the 27-year-old to be replaced by Ron-Robert Zieler.
Ondrej Duda’s free kick was inadvertently turned into his own net by Bremen captain Niklas Moisander, before a clumsy handball saw Koln concede their fifth penalty of the season. Leonardo Bittencourt duly converted from the spot against his former club, with Sargent’s tame header late in the match meaning both sides took home a point apiece.
Meanwhile, just over a year after succeeding Niko Kovac as interim coach, Flick is now on the verge of his 50th competitive match in charge of Bayern Munich when they host Werder Bremen on Matchday 8.
It’s been 12 months of unparalleled success that have seen Germany’s most decorated club bolster their trophy collection numerous times, break all sorts of records and sweep aside almost all comers at home and abroad.
In previous 49 matches, Bayern lifted five different trophies under the FIFA World Cup-winning assistant coach including the Bundesliga, DFB Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Supercup and DFL Supercup. The Munich side will be going for a sixth in February’s FIFA Club World Cup.
Flick is the fifth coach to guide Bayern to the European title, after Udo Lattek (1974), Dettmar Cramer (1975, 1976), Ottmar Hitzfeld (2001) and Jupp Heynckes (2013). He’s just the second, though, to win the treble, after Heynckes.
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