Freiburg vs Bayern Munich: Lineups, team news, Lewandowski’s record chase, and more! (Updated)

Since the season is almost over and the Bundesliga has already been won, Bayern Munich only really have three things left to play for. The first is giving Hansi Flick a proper sendoff. He deserves it after all he’s achieved. The other is allowing David Alaba, Jerome Boateng, and Javi Martinez go out on a high. All three players will be leaving Bayern on expiring contracts this summer, after almost a decade of winning titles together.

Of course, the biggest one is getting Robert Lewandowski past that legendary 40-goal milestone, which marks the record set by Gerd Muller over forty years ago. This would be a chance for this whole team, not just Lewy, to make another mark on history. The drive to pull it off is beyond intense.

Team news

Leon Goretzka is still out for the game with a thigh muscle injury, and he will struggle to get fit for the Euros. Tanguy Nianzou joins the German on the sidelines as he will sit out the rest of the season with a red card suspension. Aside from that however, this is the fittest team Bayern have had in some time. Corentin Tolisso and Niklas Sule have resumed team training, and they will both be available for the game tomorrow, while all the wingers seem fit and ready to play. Things look good for Hansi Flick.

With that in mind, let’s talk about the lineup. Since the team has had an entire week of rest leading up to this game, the coach will likely opt for very few changes in the lineup. Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller will naturally start up top, with any two of Bayern’s four wingers lining up next to them on the flanks. Jamal Musiala will be a strong contender, as will Kingsley Coman. Leroy Sane, who has been struggling for confidence lately, might be an option from the bench.

In midfield, with Goretzka out and Marc Roca not rated by the coach, David Alaba will likely slot in and finish his Bayern career finally playing his preferred position. Isn’t it ironic that, after years and years of clamoring to play in midfield, Alaba finally gets his wish — but only in his last season at Bayern, when he’s already confirmed his departure. At his next club, the coach will almost certainly put him back in defense. What a turn of events for the Austrian. Maybe, if he had been given these regular forays into midfield earlier, he might have signed a contract extension.

Anyway, Alaba will almost certainly pair up with Joshua Kimmich, and the duo will be tasked with protecting the defense. Jerome Boateng will make one of his last appearances in a Bayern shirt next to Lucas Hernandez in central defense, while Alphonso Davies and Benjamin Pavard man the left and right-back positions. Meanwhile, Flick confirmed that Alexander Nubel will start tomorrow.

So how will Bayern line up against Freiburg? Here’s what we think:

Other options:

• Serge Gnabry or Leroy Sane in for either of the wingers.
• Javi Martinez in midfield, with Alaba moving to center-back.
• Corentin Tolisso in midfield, with Alaba moving to center-back.

Update

Bild thinks Gnabry and Sane will start, but otherwise the lineup is pretty familiar.