Bayern Munich only managed a draw vs Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals, which means there’s everything left to play for this Wednesday when the two teams meet at the Santiago Bernabeu. Before that can happen, however, the Bavarians must overcome another side whose colors are primarily white — VfB Stuttgart.
Thomas Tuchel will probably approach this game with a view to preserving his options for the UCL. So, with that in mind, what can we expect?
Team news
Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sané, and Matthijs de Ligt are all out of the game, while Serge Gnabry still remains doubtful. None of those aforementioned players should expect to start on Saturday, since they’re all critical for the team’s chances of making a potential UCL final. Others, like Dayot Upamecano, might return to the starting XI to give some rest to players like Eric Dier.
So, what kind of lineup will Tuchel choose? Well, Harry Kane will probably start, since strikers like to keep their rhythm. Both he and Thomas Müller should expect to get a maximum of 60 minutes vs Stuttgart, because any more would be reckless. Mathys Tel and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting could round out the attack, making a formation with three natural strikers and an unnatural AM. Funny how that works out.
Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlović could start in midfield, giving Konrad Laimer a rest after he pocketed Bellingham on Tuesday. Alphonso Davies might return to the starting XI in defense, with Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upamecano pairing up with the back. With Joshua Kimmich and Manuel Neuer, the starting XI could look like this:
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