Berlin — Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are under pressure to bounce back with a win against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Sunday after two consecutive draws in all competitions, even though top striker Harry Kane is likely out with an injury.
Coach Vincent Kompany saw his team, top in the league with an eight-point advantage, need a stoppage-time equaliser in Tuesday’s playoff tie against Celtic to sneak through to the Champions League round of 16 with a 3-2 aggregate win.
It was far from a convincing performance that came just three days after their goalless Bundesliga draw at Bayer Leverkusen, during which a toothless Bayern did not attempt a single shot at goal for the entire first half.
Against Frankfurt, Kompany will most likely be without Kane, who picked up a calf injury against Celtic and will be sidelined for a few days, according to the club.
The England captain is the league’s leading scorer with 21 goals so far.
Kompany, who partly blamed their busy match schedule for their lacklustre performance against Celtic, must also find a way for his players to reclaim the initiative, having been firmly on the back foot in their past two matches.
In the Bundesliga, Bayern have a near perfect record at home this season with 10 wins from 11 home matches and a total of 31 points, their best home record at this stage of the season in seven years. Bayern’s most recent performances and the likely absence of Kane have raised Frankfurt hopes of leaving Munich with something to show for.
“We know we need a top performance on the day,” said Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmoeller. “But we showed in the first half of the season [3-3] that we have the weapons to hurt them.
“Especially in transition and of course with speed. We will come up with a best possible plan and hopefully get something out of it.”
Without defeat in their past seven league matches, Frankfurt have climbed up the table, tightening their grip on third spot amid growing expectations of Champions League football next season.
Frankfurt are on 42 points, five behind Leverkusen and five ahead of RB Leipzig. Second-placed Leverkusen, on 47, travel to bottom club Holstein Kiel.
Reuters
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