Bayern to start second half of season with win
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The German Bundesliga will finally come out of its winter hibernation on Friday night. Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich will clash at the Rhein-Necker-Arena to kick off the season’s second half. Niko Kovac’s Bayern go into the weekend six points behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern have a great opportunity to cut Dortmund’s lead to three points as the leaders will take on RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Hoffenheim sit seventh after going unbeaten in their last 10 matches. However, they have drawn their last six games in the Bundesliga. Hoffenheim have conceded eight goals during their run of draws. Two of those fixtures ended with over 2.5 goals while only one finished nil-nil. Manager Julian Nagelsmann has seen his team collect 13 points from a possible 27 at home this term. Hoffenheim have lost just once at the Rhein-Necker in their last six games and they have posted a +5-goal difference this term at home.
Bayern, on the other hand, have posted the best away points total in the Bundesliga. Kovac has watched his side collect 21 of 27 points possible on their travels. Bayern have registered the best goal difference on the road at +13.
The last six meetings between Hoffenheim and Bayern have seen the Bavarians come away with three wins. Hoffenheim have won twice against Bayern with both victories coming at home. However, Bayern have won their last two games against Hoffenheim – both at the Allianz Arena – by a combined score of 8-3. Both fixtures had over 2.5 goals.
Bayern have recovered from their worst start in five seasons. Kovac has the team playing his style of football, but there are obvious issues. Most notably is the ageing squad as Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, and even Robert Lewandowski are getting older.
Bayern have moved to bring younger players in, but not all seem capable of playing to Bayern’s high-level. Perhaps the obvious problem is a reliance on Lewandowski as the team’s No. 9. He leads the team with 10 goals. The next closest in goals are Ribery, Serge Gnabry, and Thomas Mueller with four apiece.
Lewandowski loves scoring against Hoffenheim. He has scored 14 Bundesliga goals past Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann in his career. It is his most past any Bundesliga shot stopper. Lewandowski will get on the score sheet once more against Hoffenheim on Friday night. Bayern will win against their foes and keep the pressure on Dortmund. Hoffenheim and Bayern will once again combine for more than 2.5 goals in an exciting return of the Bundesliga.
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