Bayern Munich vs Hoffenheim - Bayern Munich have 'score to settle'

Posted Saturday, January 27, 2018 by PA

Hoffenheim have won two and drawn one of their three most recent meetings with Bayern.

Bayern Munich can exact revenge on their Bundesliga bogey team when they host Hoffenheim on Saturday.

One of Bayern's only two defeats in the top tier this season came against Hoffenheim in September when Mark Uth's double inflicted a first league loss on the German giants in five months.

Hoffenheim had been responsible for that previous slip-up too, a 1-0 win ending Bayern's 20-match unbeaten run in April last year.

Combined with a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena in November 2016, Hoffenheim are now unbeaten in three against their prestigious opponents this weekend.

"We have a score to settle against TSG after two successive defeats," Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the official club website.

Bayern remain the clear favourites, however, having won six league matches on the bounce to open up a 16-point gap at the top of the table. They have won 17 of their last 18 in all competitions.

"We want to keep going the way we have," Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes told reporters.

"We've prepared well this week and I'm confident we'll put in a good performance."

Hoffenheim, meanwhile, have managed only one victory in their last five league games, a run that has seen them drop to ninth and adrift of the European spots.

But, with the record of recent match-ups on their side, Hoffenheim coach Julian Nagelsmann was in confident mood on Friday.

"It will not be a matter of us limiting the damage," Nagelsmann told reporters. "We're going to Munich with the plan to win there."

Bayern will be without injured pair Manuel Neuer and Thiago this weekend as well as Javi Martinez, who is recovering from a stomach bug.

Hoffenheim's Kerem Demirbay could return after shaking off a hamstring problem.