Nagelsmann hunts third victory over Bayern as rumours persist
>> BERLIN: Julian Nagelsmann hopes his Hoffenheim team can inflict a third straight Bundesliga defeat on Bayern Munich today — amid rumours t hat t he 30-year-old will be the Bavarian’s next head coach.
Hoffenheim have won both of the last two matches against Bayern — sealing home victories by the score of 2-0 last September and by 1-0 the previous April.
To achieve a hat-trick of wins over Bayern, Nagelsmann, Germany’s coach of the year in 2016, must now beat the runaway league leaders at their own Allianz Arena.
Bayern have won 17 of their last 18 games in all competitions, while Hoffenheim have won just two of their last 10 games to drop to ninth in the table.
“We aren’t on a mega-run of results, unlike Bayern,” admitted Nagelsmann.
“But going there trying not to lose is the wrong approach, we’ll be trying to win — let’s see if we can do it.”
Hoffenheim’s tally of 13 points in as many league games has seen them plummet down the table.
In contrast, Bayern are 16 points clear and steaming towards a sixth straight title.
After flooring Werder Bremen 4-2 last Sunday, when Thomas Mueller and Robert Lewandowski both scored twice, Bayern are in no mood to slow up.
“Hoffenheim have done very well against us recently, but I think it’s time to put things right and show who are German champion,” chairman KarlHeinz Rummenigge wrote in the match-day programme.
Bayern striker Sandro Wagner, defender Niklas Suele and midfielder Sebastian Rudy could all feature against their ex-club.
FIXTURES
(kick-offs 9.30pm Thai time unless stated)
Today
Bayern Munich v Hoffenheim, Borussia Dortmund v Freiburg, RB Leipzig v Hamburg, Cologne v Augsburg, VfB Stuttgart v Schalke, Werder Bremen v Hertha Berlin (00.30am, Sun)
Tomorrow
Bayer Leverkusen v Mainz, Hanover v Wolfsburg (midnight)