Bayern Munich will welcome Hertha Berlin to the Allianz Arena this Saturday night in what will hopefully be a tense and thrilling encounter. Both of these teams have had contrasting starts to the season.

Bayern come into this match on the back of a dramatic three goals to two win against FC Köln last week in what was an average performance from Hansi Flick and his players.

The result means that Bayern find themselves in fourth place level on points with TSG Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and SC Freiburg, leaving them two points behind VFL Wolfsburg in first going into matchday 3. With the international break coming up Bayern will be looking to go into it with a win, in particular because they face a difficult test against RB Leipzig in their first match after the international break.

By contrast Hertha come into this on the back of a miserable two goals to one defeat against Wolfsburg in what was a disappointing performance from Pál Dárdai and his team

The result means that Hertha find themselves firmly rooted to the bottom of the table with no points and having a minus three-goal difference going into matchday 3. Hertha will be hoping to avoid another defeat before the international break and use the break in order to refocus and hopefully get out of the relegation zone, when the Bundesliga returns.

Team news

Julian Nagelsman has four major injury concerns going the match, with French trio Kingsley Coman, Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez all set to miss out, while Marco Roca continues to recover from his ankle injury sustained earlier in the season.

Hertha have got a massive injury list ahead of the match and it's only getting bigger. Krzysztof Piatek, Ishak Belfodil and Kevin Prince Boateng are the latest players to join the injury list. Martin Dardai is also unavailable due to an injury picked up last week.

 

Predicted Lineups

Bayern Munich : Neuer, Stanistic, Upamecano, Sule, Davies, Kimmich, Goretzka, Gnabry, Muller, Musiala, Lewandowski.

Hertha Berlin : Schwolow, Pekarik, Boyata, Stark, Plattenhardt, Serdar, Asciabar, Lukebakio, Dilrosun, Selke, Jovetic.

Ones to watch

Serg Gnabry

While many people will be watching Robert Lewandowski, one player who might go under the radar, but who could win the match for them. After having a quiet game against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Serg Gnabry put in an absolutely blistering performance against Köln.

While Lewandowski scored Bayern's opening goal, it was Gnabry who grabbed all the headlines thanks to his  brace which helped ensure that  Bayern achieved the win. After scoring Bayern's second, he scored the winning goal after it looked Koln were going to draw after they scored two goals in two minutes.

Gnabry will be hoping to add to his tally this season and with Hertha already conceding five goals so far this season there is every oppotunity.

Dodi Lukebakio

With the transfer of talisman Matheus Cunha to Athletico Madrid, Hertha will need to find someone else to take over the mantle. With the current squad the most likely player to do this is Dodi Lukebakio

In a season that has been mostly disappointing for Hertha, the one bright spark has been Lukebakio. The talented 23-year-old Belgium winger has scored their only goal so far this season even though it was a penalty.

In what looks like a difficult match for Hertha, they know that if they want any chance of beating Bayern they need Lukebakio to perform at his best.

 

Last time out

The last time these two met Bayern dismantled Hertha comfortably by four goals to nil.

Bayern started the match slowly with Hertha putting a solid defensive display. Lewandowski had Bayern's first real chance of the match when in the 25th minute Ivan Perisic clipped a teasing ball into the Hertha penalty box for Lewandowski to chase however he dragged his shot wide of the right hand post.

Bayern's only other major chance came ten minutes later when Phillip Coutinio arrived late in the box from a Thomas Muller lobbed ball however he side footed his shot straight down the throat of Rune Jarstein.

Bayern started the second half much better and moved the ball more quickly. Bayern got their first goal in the 60th minute.

Leon Goretzka got the ball on the right-hand side of the pitch in plenty of space, and lobbed a ball to the back post for Perisic who nodded it down to Muller who smashed the ball on the half volley into the net.

Bayern got their second thirteen minutes later. After a brilliant corner delivery from Coutinio Goretzka had his shirt pulled and as a result Bayern were awarded a penalty. Lewandowski stepped up and in typical fashion comfortably dispacted it into the bottom left hand corner.

The third for Bayern came three minutes later. With Hertha chasing a goal Bayern had more space to exploit in Hertha's final third. Goretzka passed a ball to Thiago Alcantara on the right hand side of the box, before he cut in and bend the ball into the top left hand corner.

Bayern added the icing to the cake in the 83rd minute as Perisic got their fourth. Muller cut inside from the right hand side before swinging a cross to Perisic at the back post who towered to head the ball into the net past a helpless Jarstein.

 

How to watch

Fans in the UK can catch the game on Sky Sports at 5:30 on Saturday, while fans in the US can watch the game via ESPN+.

 

 

 

 

 

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