Danks takes the dugout for the Klassiker
The biggest story around Bayern is not on the pitch. Head coach Vincent Kompany collapsed at the training ground and was diagnosed with meningeal irritation. According to [1], he has since been discharged from hospital, and the club say his return to the dugout is weeks away, not days. [2] adds that he will rest and take medication, with no return date set.
Assistant coach Aaron Danks has taken charge. He was on the bench for the 3-1 win at Freiburg, and [3] reports he is set to lead the side against Dortmund on Saturday. [4] notes that Kompany will not yet be at the training ground. The results under Danks have held up: the win in Freiburg was followed by a 6-1 DFB Cup victory over Magdeburg. Still, a Klassiker is a different test from a trip to a second-tier side, and it will be Danks’s biggest match in the role.
Squad news: Kane back, Kimmich doubtful, Neuer out
The selection picture has one clear positive and two question marks. Harry Kane was an unused substitute against Magdeburg, but he said he was ready to play and will train normally this week. [5] reports he is expected back in the starting XI at the Allianz Arena. The same piece says CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen expects Kane’s contract extension to be finalised within days.
Joshua Kimmich could return to the squad, according to Danks, as relayed by [6]. The status is doubtful, so it is best to treat him as a possibility rather than a certainty. The same report says captain Manuel Neuer will miss the match, though it gives no reason.
The cup tie also showed Danks rotating. According to [7], Ismael Saibari started in place of Kane and Hiroki Ito in place of Dayot Upamecano. Whether those two keep their places is unconfirmed, but the Kane rest looks like preparation for this match.
Form and the Kane factor
Bayern arrive in good shape. Michael Olise scored twice and assisted once in the 6-1 win over Magdeburg, according to [7], and has 12 goals in all competitions this season. [8] reports the win came after a 1-1 scoreline at one point, with a Panenka-style penalty among the highlights. Young players also contributed, and Santos scored, as [9] noted after the game.
Kane’s record against Dortmund is the obvious talking point. A [10] preview says he has scored eight goals in nine competitive meetings with them. It puts him on 10 goals in 12 appearances across all competitions this season, against seven in all competitions for Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy. The comparison is a fair summary of the match: Bayern’s attack is in form and has its focal point back, while Dortmund’s hopes rest heavily on their own striker.
What it means
Bayern top the Bundesliga with 17 points from seven games (W5 D2 L0), with 25 goals scored and only six conceded. They are unbeaten, and the recent run supports that: a 3-1 win at Freiburg on 25 October, a 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the Champions League, and a 6-1 home win over RB Leipzig on 17 October. The draws at Viking (3-3) and Augsburg (2-2) show the defence has not been airtight, which fits Tah’s comments, reported by Kicker, on why Bayern rarely keep clean sheets.
The question for Saturday’s fixture on 31 October is whether that attacking edge survives a disrupted week. Without Kompany and Neuer, and with Kimmich uncertain, Bayern lose a lot of leadership. Against that, Kane’s return and Olise’s form give them goals. Dortmund will want to test a defence that has conceded in most of its recent games. The site’s forecast for the match locks 24 hours before kick-off, so the published prediction will reflect the final team news.
Sources
- BBC Sport: Kompany discharged from hospital following collapse bbc.co.uk ↩
- Sky Sports: Kompany discharged from hospital after collapsing at training skysports.com ↩
- Bundesliga.com: Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany discharged from hospital bundesliga.com ↩
- Kicker: Kimmich vor Comeback: "Alltag, nichts sehnt der FC Bayern mehr herbei" kicker.de ↩
- Bundesliga.com: 'It's just going to take a few days' - Harry Kane edging closer to Bayern Munich contract agreement bundesliga.com ↩
- Kicker: Die Bayern und die Frage: Wann ist Alltag? kicker.de ↩
- Bundesliga.com: DFB Cup holders Bayern Munich hit Magdeburg for six to reach last 16 bundesliga.com ↩
- Kicker: Olise mit frechem Panenka-Elfmeter: Bayern zaubert sich zum 6:1-Sieg kicker.de ↩
- Kicker: Tah freut das Santos-Tor: "Zeigt, dass einfach jeder bereit ist" kicker.de ↩
- Bundesliga.com: How do Bayern Munich's Harry Kane and Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy compare? bundesliga.com ↩
