Bundesliga: When the Juggernauts Meet the Underdogs Again

Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin

Bayern Munich couldn’t have picked a worse time to face Union Berlin in a battle for the top spot in the Bundesliga table this Sunday.

The reigning champions have come under fire lately because of their lacklustre form, and now they find themselves in a three-way race for this season’s domestic trophy.

After losing to bogey team Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday, Bayern Munich remained at 43 points, level with the likes of Borussia Dortmund, who have a winnable match against Hoffenheim tomorrow, and their next visitors, Union Berlin.

Union Berlin could’ve come into this game holding the top berth, but they were held to a goalless draw by bottom feeders Schalke last Sunday.

With so much on the line, continue to read below as SBOTOP offers a preview of this epic clash between title hopefuls. 

Talking Points

Sadio Mane might make his return for Bayern Munich

Sadio Mane is reportedly on the verge of his first-team comeback after training with the squad earlier this week. The Senegalese forward is back after three months on the sidelines through injury, so this is huge for the defending champions.

Mane missed Senegal’s World Cup 2022 campaign after suffering a leg injury in their 6-1 win against Werder Bremen. He went under the knife to fix a tendon in his right fibula, and he has been working his way back through a specialised training program since the winter break.

Prior to the injury, Mane had recorded nine goals and four assists across all competitions, which just goes to show how much of an impact he’s already had with the team since joining them last summer.

The return of Mane improves Julian Nagelsmann’s attacking options. And if everything goes well, he should be featured on the bench this weekend.

In other Bundesliga 2023 news, Dayot Upamecano will serve his one-match ban following his red card in their defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach, so Matthijs de Ligt should start alongside Benjamin Pavard and Daley Blind at the back.

Noussair Mazraoui is also back in training, just like Sadio Mane. After missing a handful of games due to pericarditis, he’ll be backing up their January signing, Joao Cancelo, while rising star Jamal Musiala is going to celebrate his 20^th birthday on the day of the match.

Danilho Doekhi to play a huge role for Union Berlin

Danilho Doekhi has become a regular starter under Urs Fischer, and he’ll have his hands full against the Bavarian giants.

The 24-year-old centre-back arrived in Berlin on a free transfer last summer from Vitesse, and he has been effective at both ends of the pitch for Die Eisernen.

Doekhi is one of the main reasons why Union Berlin are one of the best defencive sides in the Bundesliga, as he has done a great job covering for goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow, who, by the way, is undefeated in his two Bundesliga matches against Bayern Munich (W1, D1).

At the same time, Doekhi is the team’s second leading scorer with five goals, with four of his five shots being headers, meaning that he is an aerial threat at set-pieces.

History

Bayern Munich are undefeated against Union Berlin in the Bundesliga (W4, D3), including their 1-1 draw last September as Sheraldo Becker and Joshua Kimmich both scored goals within the 12^th to the 15^th minute.

Only Oberhausen and Darmstadt have played Bayern Munich more times without ever winning than Union Berlin (8 games).

These two teams are the only unbeaten sides at home this season, so something has to give on Sunday, unless this ends up being another draw.

Furthermore, Bayern Munich and Union Berlin boast two of the league’s best defences, as the former has only conceded 21 times, while the latter is the next-best with only 24.

Betting Tip

The Bundesliga 2023 odds for this fixture are pretty much the same as in their previous meeting.

Bayern Munich were heavy favourites with the price of 1.35, but now it has improved to 1.31, while Union Berlin have gone from 8.00 to 7.20, and a draw is from 4.90 to 5.00 in the 1X2 market.

Given their strong history against Die Eisernen, Die Bayern should be able to eke out a win, especially if Sadio Mane contributes in this contest.

A replay of their previous encounter (Correct Score 1-1 at 9.75) is not to be completely ruled out, but we’re sure that we’ll see goals from this one because of their collective quality, making Total Goal 2-3 at 2.10 another viable bet.

 

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