The Bavarians have only ever lost one Bundesliga match to their upcoming opponents, and their superior experience of title races will stand them in good stead for this crunch clash.
Pick:
Bayern Munich to Win ()
How to Watch RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich
| RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich Information |
| What |
RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich |
| Where |
Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany |
| When |
Saturday, 3 April 2021, 12.30 PM EDT |
| How to watch |
Watch on ESPN+ here! |
Bayern Munich are in a strong position with eight games left to play in the 2020/21 Bundesliga campaign. Their four-point lead at the summit of the standings means the champions’ fate will still be in their own hands even if they come unstuck against RB Leipzig on Saturday. Their opponents know that defeat would surely end their own chances of finishing on top of the pile for the first time in the club’s (relatively short) history.
Leipzig have made tremendous progress in recent years, but they have continually struggled to get the better of Bayern in head-to-head contests. Hansi Flick’s squad contains masses of experience, and that should help Bayern emerge victorious on Saturday and extend their lead at the top to seven points.
Bayern Munich Poised to Begin Their Much-Practiced Balancing Act
This season’s schedule has been more packed than ever before, owing to its late start due to the enforced coronavirus-related pause the last term. Yet the calendar has been less congested for clubs in Germany than their counterparts in England, Spain, France, and Italy: unlike the top leagues of the four other major European nations, the Bundesliga only has 18 teams, so each side plays four fewer matches over the course of a campaign.
That may well prove decisive in the Champions League, where Bayern Munich could be less vulnerable to fatigue than their fellow competitors from the Premier League, La Liga, and Ligue 1. Yet RB Leipzig have forced Bayern to remain focused on the Bundesliga title race up to now, with the four-point gap separating the two teams too slender for Flick and his players to take their eye off the domestic ball.
Nothing can ever be taken for granted in soccer, but an away win this weekend would move Bayern to within a touching distance of the title. That would be a major boost for Flick’s side, who would then be able to turn their attention towards defending their European crown. That is why Bayern will probably push for a victory on Saturday, rather than settling for a point as they may have done had they already been eliminated from the Champions League.
Bayern are well versed in balancing these two competitions by now, and they will be keen to in effect put the Bundesliga title race to bed before the quarter-finals of Europe’s biggest tournament get underway next week.
A Second-Place Finish Would Be a Great Achievement for Leipzig
Needless to say, RB Leipzig would be delighted to win the Bundesliga title this term. However, they are not under any pressure to do so. Bayern remains in a league of their own among the German sides when it comes to finances, profile and fan base, and Leipzig have done well to get themselves into a position where they could be just one point behind the perennial Bundesliga champions come Sunday.
Leipzig are an ambitious club, and they will of course hope to win the championship one day, but a second-place finish this term would be a fantastic achievement. It is easy to overlook that fact given they already finished as runners-up in 2016/17, and have ended the last two campaigns in third place. Yet for all that the club benefits from Red Bull’s backing, this is only their fifth season in the top tier of German soccer. Simply being in the championship conversation is an accomplishment in itself.
In some ways, then, the title race is a free hit for Leipzig. Julian Nagelsmann will look to use that to his team’s advantage, reminding his players that all the pressure is on Bayern and that they can play with freedom on Saturday. Since their promotion, though, Leipzig have won only one of 11 meetings with the Bavarians, which suggests they struggle in straight shoot-outs against Germany’s biggest and best club.
Bayern Should Edge a Tight Encounter Where Goals Could Be Few
We should not expect a goal-fest at the Red Bull Arena. In the first half, both teams will prioritize keeping things tight at the back before attempting to land a decisive blow after the break. Bayern’s four-point lead in the standings gives them a degree of security, while Leipzig will be wary of opening up too early against a team with such incredible firepower at the top of the pitch. For those reasons, under 2.5 goals is an option worth exploring for those not convinced by Bayern’s ability to emerge victoriously.
There is ample evidence to suggest the visitors will come out on top, though. Leipzig have done a good job of beating teams in the bottom half of the Bundesliga this term, but they have struggled in many of the bigger matches. Nagelsmann’s side lost to Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Monchengladbach (back when Gladbach were near the top of the table), and have twice failed to beat Eintracht Frankfurt.
Leipzig did draw with Bayern 3-3 in December, but Flick’s side are in better shape now than they were prior to the winter break. A trip to the Red Bull Arena is arguably Bayern’s biggest domestic test these days, but the smart money is on backing them to come through it unscathed.
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