Team news: How will Bayern Munich line up against Schalke?

Given the 2-2 draw with Hertha Berlin, it’s safe to say that Bayern Munich haven’t had the best of starts to the new season. With both RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund making easy work of their opening day opponents, Niko Kovac is under pressure to respond in kind, and Schalke are in the crosshairs.

Let’s take a look at the team.

Team news

Bayern have three confirmed absences going into the game — Leon Goretzka (thigh injury), Jerome Boateng (illness), and Fiete Arp (illness) will all miss Schalke clash. Goretzka’s absence is the biggest blow. He probably would have been looking forward to playing against his former team.

It’s too early for Philippe Coutinho to start. He only began training recently after time off following Brazil’s Copa America victory. He will be on the bench, though. Ivan Perisic, meanwhile, is apparently fit and ready to feature, and Kovac even said he could play from the beginning. That sounds unlikely, but maybe we’re just underestimating the Croatian connection here.

Assuming that Kovac doesn’t decide to do anything wacky, we can expect to see an identical lineup to the one that took to the field against Hertha Berlin. That means a front three of Kingsley Coman, Robert Lewandowski, and Serge Gnabry, supported by a midfield consisting of Corentin Tolisso and Thomas Müller with Thiago Alcantara as the lone defensive mid.

As for the defense — according to the coach, Lucas Hernandez is probably not yet fit enough to feature in a full game, so we should expect Benjamin Pavard and Niklas Süle to partner up in central defense. On the flanks, David Alaba and Joshua Kimmich will take their usual positions because, well, who else do we have?

Therefore, this is how we think Bayern Munich will line up against Schalke: