FC Bayern will face 1. FC Köln on Saturday. This raises several questions for Thomas Tuchel. The coach will now clarify this.
Update from April 13th, 2:18 p.m.:
FC Bayern's lineup is here! Coach Tuchel made a total of seven changes compared to the Arsenal game.
Manuel Neuer is also missing against 1. FC Köln. As FC Bayern announced, “no risks” are being taken with the captain.
The Bayern line-up against 1. FC Köln
Ulreich - Kimmich, de Ligt, Dier, Mazraoui - Pavlovic, Guerreiro - Coman, Müller, Tel - Kane
Update from April 13th, 1:34 p.m.:
Can Thomas Müller play again today? The fan favorite recently sat on the bench at Arsenal FC in London. And today against 1. FC Köln? We'll know more in just under 45 minutes, then FC Bayern will announce their lineup.
Leroy Sané definitely won't be there. The offensive star has been struggling with pubic bone problems for a long time, which is why coach Thomas Tuchel is pursuing a very special plan with Sané in the coming weeks.
Update from April 13th, 10:52 a.m.:
Before the important Champions League game against Arsenal, FC Bayern still has a mandatory task against 1. FC Köln. Does Thomas Tuchel let his starting eleven play or does he give his stars a break? It will probably be a mix, as the FCB coach indicated at the PK on Friday.
Noussair Mazraoui and Raphaël Guerreiro in particular are likely to be in the starting line-up against the carnival club. The two full-backs are considered the first alternatives for Alphonso Davies, who was suspended on Wednesday. “We’re giving both of them match practice to get them ready for Wednesday,” the 50-year-old explained in advance.
There are signs of surprise: Tuchel and the “puzzle” before the Cologne game
First report from April 12th:
Munich – FC Bayern will face 1. FC Cologne in the Bundesliga on Saturday. In terms of sport, it's an explosive story for the guests, as everything is at stake for the billy goats in the fight to stay in the league.
Since Bayern Leverkusen can complete the championship on Sunday, it's just a matter of the bare minimum for the Munich team and getting ready for the quarter-final second leg against Arsenal FC on Wednesday evening in the Allianz Arena. This raises some tricky personnel questions for coach Thomas Tuchel.
Bayern line-up: Leroy Sané is out against 1. FC Köln
Leroy Sané will be out, as the Bayern coach revealed on Friday afternoon in the press room on Säbener Straße. When asked
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, Tuchel then outlined his plan with his offensive star for the coming weeks.
In addition, Serge Gnabry, Bouna Sarr and Sacha Boey will definitely be out. Youngster Aleksandar Pavlovic should get “a few minutes” after tonsillitis and an infection, as Tuchel explained on the PK. The 50-year-old also revealed that both Raphaël Guerreiro and Noussair Mazraoui will be in the starting eleven.
FC Bayern against Cologne: Tuchel announces the starting eleven for Guerreiro and Mazraoui
Of course, Tuchel couldn't fully reveal how exactly he wanted to bring them in. With Alphonso Davies out on Wednesday due to suspension, a new left-back will be “tested” against Cologne. “We have a few options. Either we can switch one-on-one with Raphaël Guerreiro, but Noussair Mazraoui has already played for Morocco," said Tuchel: "I don't know whether both of them can play 90 minutes against Cologne, but we'll give both of them match practice so that they're ready to do for Wednesday.”
It is quite possible that Tuchel will let Guerreiro start attacking on the left, as he did after Gnabry's injury on Tuesday. In general, Tuchel announced one change or another. “We have several days between Cologne and Arsenal. But there is the idea that we should throw in other players and make a few changes," said the Bayern coach: "If we make changes, it's more to give players the rhythm for Wednesday, not to spare them."
FC Bayern against 1. FC Köln: How does coach Tuchel line up?
The question also arises in central defense as to whether the duo Matthijs de Ligt and Eric Dier will be spared and whether Dayot Upamecano and Minjae Kim will have another chance to do better than against Heidenheim. “We will only put the puzzle together later,” said Tuchel.
Manuel Neuer, who had to be treated briefly after his collision with Bukayo Saka on Tuesday evening and did not train with the team on Thursday, will definitely be fit. Tuchel said: “I completely understand that he can play.”
(smk)
Florian Schimak reports from Säbener Straße