(Football news) Bayern Munich are all set to travel to RheinEnergieStadion to face FC Koln knowing that securing all three points is a must if they want their slim hopes of retaining the Bundesliga title alive. The Bavarian giants’ 10-year dominance of German football is at threat of coming to an end as they sit two points behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund. Koln on the other hand have experienced a very inconsistent season, winning 10, drawing 12 and losing 11 in the Bundesliga this season as they sit 10th in the table at present.
For Koln they have accumulated 10 points from a possible 15 which has helped Koln climb away from the relegation to mid-table as consecutive wins over Bayer Leverkusen and Hertha Berlin followed by a draw with Werder Bremen.Koln will hope to conclude the campaign on a positive note but that seems a difficult task as they have lost each of their last eight Bundesliga home meetings against Bayern Munich which also their longest-ever losing run on home soil against in the German top flight.
FC Koln possible starting lineup:
Schwabe; Schmitz, Hubers, Chabot, Hector; Skhiri, Martel; Ljubicic, Kainz, Maina; Selke
For the first time since the 2011-12 Bayern Munich enter the final matchday not sitting at the top of the table. Borussia Dortmund were beaten on the last day of last season and went and history could repeat itself this weekend. After three successive matches against Hertha Berlin, Werder Bremen and Schalke 04, the Bavarian club suffered a 3-1 home defeat to RB Leipzig which allowed Dortmund to leapfrog them into top spot. Bayern appeared to be in control of the match but Thomas Tuchel’s side fell apart after halftime for their fifth league defeat of the season.
Tuchel came into the team mid season and has failed to make the desired impact since replacing Julian Nagelsmann in March. He has just won five of his 11 competitive matches in charge of Bayern and have suffered more defeats in this period under Tuchel than they did under Nagelsmann in 37 matches. Bayern head into the match having dropped more points from winning positions than any other Bundesliga team in the second half of the season (13). Last time they met Bayern were forced to 1-1 home draw with Koln in January, with Joshua Kimmich netting a 90th-minute equaliser but secured a comprehensive 4-0 victory in their last visit to RheinEnergieStadion last year.
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Sommer; Mazraoui, Pavard, De Ligt, Cancelo; Kimmich; Coman, Muller, Musiala, Sane; Gnabry
Also read: Dortmund look to win their first title in 11 years as they face Mainz at home