Bayern seek CL redemption in league clash vs Wolfsburg

BERLIN: Bayern Munich are licking their wounds ater the holders were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-germain and on Saturday travel north to third-placed Wolfsburg with a depleted squad.

Star striker Robert Lewandowski is recovering from a knee injury, while Serge Gnabry remains quarantined ater testing positive for Covid-19.

Ater seeing their Champions League defence ended in Paris, Bayern Munich return to domestic action. The absence of Lewandowski has let Bayern with a huge hole in atack, compounded by the unavailability of Gnabry.

Wolfsburg are undefeated at home this campaign and have won nine of their past 12 games despite losing a seven-goal thriller at Eintracht Frankfurt last week, presenting a tough proposition for a Bayern side who could say goodbye to coach Hansi Flick at season’s end.

At the other end of the table, Hertha Berlin head coach Pal Dardai, assistant coach Admir Hamzagic and Belgium striker Dodi Lukebakio are quarantined ater testing positive for Covid-19.

The team has also been ordered into isolation until April 28 and can only leave their common quarters for matches and training.

Relegation-threatened Hertha said that they had requested the postponement of their next three games ater defender Marvin Platenhardt became the fourth member of playing and coaching staff to test positive in a single day.

“As a result of the cases, we are forced to go into a 14-day quarantine at home,” sporting director Arne Friedrich said in a statement.

“That is the right step from a health perspective, but it is obviously a blow from a sporting perspective,” he added.

German League fixtures Saturday: Borussia Moenchengladbach vs Eintracht Frankfurt, Wolfsburg vs Bayern Munich, Freiburg vs Schalke 04, Union Berlin vs Stutgart, Augsburg vs Arminia Bielefeld, Bayer Leverkusen vs Cologne (1630) Sunday: Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen, Mainz vs Hertha Berlin (1600)