4′
3:34 p.m
Red card for Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
What kind of start is this to this game? Kimmich loses the ball right in front of his own penalty area and then tugs on Mehlem’s arm and jersey. The Darmstadt player only lets himself go in the penalty area, but the foul clearly starts before that. This is an emergency brake and a very early dismissal for Joshua Kimmich!
2′
3:33 p.m
At the beginning, the guests definitely show a desire for a playful approach. A first combination into the opponent’s half is stopped about 30 meters from the goal. The back team then prevented a counterattack, meaning the Lilies regained possession of the ball.
1′
3:32 p.m
Coman hits a first ball high from the right side over the goal. It’s difficult to tell whether the cross or the shot slipped over his instep.
1′
3:31 p.m
From the kick-off point the ball is played straight back to Manuel Neuer. It is his first contact with the ball in the Bundesliga in over ten months. Bayern against Darmstadt: Let’s go for a wild ride!
3:25 p.m
The teams step out onto the pitch in pleasantly mild temperatures. It will not be long!
15:21
Martin Petersen travels from Stuttgart to the Bavarian capital to referee this game. The 38-year-old real estate agent is assisted by linesmen Alexander Sather and Robert Wessel.
15:13
Bayern and Darmstadt only met in 13 games. There was practically nothing to gain for Darmstadt. The first and only victory actually came in the very first duel, when the Lilies won 3-2 in the Oberliga Süd in 1950. Darmstadt got a draw in their first duel in the Bundesliga in 1978. Otherwise, every game went to Munich. The last time was in 2017, when Bayern narrowly won 1-0 at the Allianz Arena.
3:05 p.m
Torsten Lieberknecht changes to three positions and adapts the system. Striker Oscar Vilhelmsson and Jannik Müller are rotated to the bench. The two replace Klaus Gjasula and Matthias Bader. Captain Fabian Holland is also out for the short term with back problems. Fabian Schnellhardt will replace him in midfield.
14:57
In terms of personnel, all eyes in Munich are of course on Manuel Neuer and Thomas Tuchel also gives his captain the space he needs to shine. Apart from changing the goalkeeper with the reliable replacement Sven Ulreich, the master coach has not made any changes. That’s quite interesting considering how weak the first half was in the 3-1 defeat at Galatasaray Istanbul. Serge Gnabry, who surprisingly took part in the final training session, did not make it into the squad.
2:48 p.m
Looking at the season forecasts, Darmstadt has had an almost outstanding start to this season. With victories against Bremen and Augsburg, the Lilies were able to leave the relegation zone for the time being. However, last week there was a defeat against Leipzig and now the game in Munich. The Hessians can hardly plan with points. At the same time, the game against the Red Bulls was very promising and didn’t necessarily have to be lost. Maybe there will be a bit more luck today.
2:39 p.m
Twelve competitive games, ten wins, no defeat: If results were all that mattered, Bayern’s season could hardly go any better. However, the Munich team repeatedly suffer from weaknesses in defense, which, given the statistics, cause unusually high levels of criticism. In addition, the two draws were achieved in the league, which is why the industry leader is only in the unusual third place. So today the pressure has to be built up again on the supposedly flawless Leverkusen team.
14:24
The record champions meet the newcomers! Bayern Munich hosts SV Darmstadt 98 at 3:30 p.m. to pick up three points. Welcome!