Bayern Munich will aim to protect their lead at the top of the Bundesliga when they host Freiburg at the Allianz Arena this Saturday afternoon. Both sides arrive in strong form, but the champions look especially impressive, with sixteen wins from seventeen matches in all competitions this season.
Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint Germain have all tried and failed to slow Bayern down, as the Bavarians opened their season with a run that looked untouchable. Under head coach Vincent Kompany, they strung together sixteen straight victories and carried themselves with complete confidence.
That momentum finally stalled just before the international break. After all the big sides came up short, it was Union Berlin who managed what no one else could, holding Bayern to a surprising two two draw in the capital. With time to reset during the break, Kompany and his players now turn their attention to Freiburg, a team Bayern have defeated in seven of their previous eight league meetings.
Freiburg, meanwhile, will believe they can follow Union Berlin’s example. Julian Schuster, who guided the club to a remarkable fifth place finish last season, continues to inspire excellent performances at the Europa Park Stadion. His side have lost only one of their last thirteen matches in all competitions and are progressing well both in Germany and in Europe.
Their confidence was boosted even further before the break with a superb week in which they beat Nice three one away in the Europa League and then secured a two one victory over St Pauli in the Bundesliga. While Freiburg have not beaten Bayern since a two one cup win in 2023, the energy and momentum around the team give them real hope of earning a positive result this weekend.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Bayern Munich have received encouraging news on the injury front. Hiroki Ito is back in full training after spending a long time out with a metatarsal injury, and his return gives Vincent Kompany another reliable defensive option. Jamal Musiala, who has not played since the Club World Cup last summer, has also taken an important step forward in his recovery by returning to ball work at the training ground. The club expects him to be ready for competitive action early in 2026.
Harry Kane and Serge Gnabry both enjoyed confidence boosting moments during the international break after getting on the scoresheet for their national teams, and they will hope to carry that sharpness into Saturday’s match.
Freiburg also had several players away on international duty. Philipp Lienhart, Johan Manzambi, Igor Matanovic and Noah Atubolu all played a part in helping their countries secure qualification for the World Cup, returning to the club in high spirits.
On the injury side, Freiburg have been relatively fortunate. Only one player is still on the sidelines. Daniel Kofi Kyereh has been unavailable since February as he continues his long recovery from a serious knee problem, and he remains the team’s only confirmed absentee heading into the weekend.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Bischof; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Kane, Diaz; Jackson
Freiburg possible starting lineup:
Atubolu; Treu, Ginter, Lienhart, Makengo; Eggestein, Manzambi; Beste, Suzuki, Grifo; Adamu
EXPERT PREDICTION
Bayern Munich 3-1 Freiburg
