Bundesliga: Bayern Faces Tough Challenge in Wolfsburg, Augsburg vs Stuttgart Derby
The top dogs in the Bundesliga, FC Bayern Munich, aim to close the gap on leaders Bayer Leverkusen when they face VfL Wolfsburg, but they'll do so without key players Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich, who are still recovering from illness. The trio of Niklas Süle, Marcel Sabitzer, and Bouna Sarr also remain sidelined. The unexpected performances of Raphael Guerreiro and youngster Aleksandar Pavlović in their last match against VfB Stuttgart should offer some comfort, as they helped Bayern secure a 3-0 win with one fewer game played than their rivals atop the table.
While Bayern struggle with absences, their opposition, FC Augsburg, faces Champions League contenders VfB Stuttgart in the Swabian derby. Despite sitting in the middle of the table with 18 points, Augsburg will look to establish a wider separation from the lower ranks. Both Augsburg and Stuttgart will face off in Stuttgart at 20:30 on Wednesday.
FC Bayern Munich and VfL Wolfsburg Preview
FC Bayern are currently four points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga table and will face VfL Wolfsburg in Lower Saxony. With two crucial games coming up, Bayern may turn to their impressive depth to overcome the absence of their star players.
FC Augsburg and VfB Stuttgart Derby Preview
FC Augsburg faces a tough test against their Swabian rivals, VfB Stuttgart, who are the Champions League contenders. Despite finding themselves stuck in the middle of the table, Augsburg will look to take advantage of this opportunity to distance themselves from the lower ranks.
Team Updates
FC Bayern Munich
- Injuries and Absences: Daniel Peretz, who suffered an abdominal injury, is expected to stay on the sidelines until early March 2025. Alphonso Davies, João Palhinha, and Niklas Süle remain out due to injuries.
FC Augsburg
- Injuries and Absences: Yusuf Kabadayi, Mergin Berisha, and Henri Koudossou will most likely be sidelined for their upcoming match against Stuttgart. Meanwhile, Cedric Zesiger should be back in the squad.
These bullet points do not indicate any specific preparations for the upcoming matches with key players missing due to illness, but teams typically address absences through a combination of tactical adjustments, rotating the squad, and emphasizing team cohesion.
Bundesliga Table and Match Schedule
FC Bayern Munich vs. VfL Wolfsburg: Wednesday, 16:30/Sky
FC Augsburg vs. VfB Stuttgart: Wednesday, 20:30/Sky
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Enrichment Data:
While the enrichment data does not contain specific information about team preparations due to player absences, it does provide some valuable insights:
FC Bayern Munich
- Injuries and Absences: reports that Daniel Peretz, who experienced an abdominal injury, is out until early March 2025. Alphonso Davies, João Palhinha, and Niklas Süle still sit out with their respective injuries.
FC Augsburg
- Injuries and Absences: reports on injuries and absences. Yusuf Kabadayi, Mergin Berisha, and Henri Koudossou will likely stay sidelined, but Cedric Zesiger should return to the squad.
General Preparation
- FC Bayern Munich: Reportedly, Bayern probably enter their game against Wolfsburg slightly fatigued due to their upcoming Champions League match against Celtic.
- FC Augsburg: Augsburg is gearing up for the cup matches and hopes to make it to the DFB-Pokal semi-finals, which might affect their Bundesliga match preparation.
