The wounds will be fresh, and the sting will still be sharp for Bayern Munich as they try to get back on track for a second consecutive title and avoid an embarrassing slump. The Bundesliga champions have just over 48 hours to lick their wounds and recover for the mouthwatering Bundesliga clash at Borussia Dortmund on Saturday following their shock German Cup exit on Wednesday at third-tier club Saarbruecken. The Bavarians crashed out with a stunning 2-1 second-round defeat, having taken the lead but conceded twice, including a last-gasp goal in second-half stoppage time. They also saw defender Matthijs de Ligt pick up an injury that looks likely to keep him out of the Dortmund game, piling further pressure on coach Thomas Tuchel’s embattled team.
This was the first time since September 2000 that Bayern were knocked out of the DFB-Pokal in round two by a lower-league side, and they haven’t reached the semi-finals for an unprecedented four seasons. The result is another blow to Bayern’s title hopes and a further reminder that they need to be at their best in every competition if they want to win the quadruple.
It was a lousy night for Bayern, who lost star striker Robert Lewandowski early on and were caught off guard by the aggressive style of the hosts. They were also punished for sloppy errors at the back, with a poor pass from Kim Min-Jae leading to Saarbruecken’s equalizer and Bayern’s top scorer, Thomas Muller, failing to score from a superb position just minutes later.
Bayern have been sloppy at the back all season, and it has become more noticeable with every match. They have the worst defensive record in the Bundesliga’s top six and concede goals far too quickly. The defeat at Saarbruecken was particularly disappointing because they were already without key players such as Serge Gnabry, who hasn’t played since sustaining a broken arm in the DFB-Pokal win over SC Preussen Munster, and Leon Goretzka, who is recovering from hand surgery.
Dortmund are looking to secure a second successive Bundesliga crown and have a good chance of going to the Champions League quarter-finals after beating Hoffenheim in their first home match of the season on Sunday. They are currently third in the table, seven points behind Bayern, but have a game in hand on most of their Bundesliga rivals and a two-legged tie with Manchester City ahead.
The match will surely be a spectacle, with Dortmund’s infamous yellow wall of supporters expected to pack out the Westfalenstadion. It will be Bayern’s first meeting with their old rival in the league under new manager Tuchel, who took over after the departure of Julian Nagelsmann last week.
The injury to De Ligt could prove a significant setback for Bayern, but there are other options in the squad to take his place. Leroy Sane has been in fine form since his move to the Allianz Arena from Manchester City, while winger Jamal Musiala is on an impressive run of goals after a slow start, and Kingsley Coman is starting to find his feet at the club.
