Schalke hoping Weinzierl record vs Bayern can inspire overdue win
After something of a false start to the Bundesliga campaign, with an extended break following the European Championships seeing just one round of fixtures played ahead of the latest international break, the action returns with a mouthwatering Friday night clash.
Champions Bayern began league life under Carlo Ancelotti in emphatic fashion, romping to a 6-0 win over Werder Bremen, but will surely face a tougher test against Schalke. New manager Markus Weinzierl’s first game in charge was far less encouraging than his aforementioned counterpart, falling to a 1-0 defeat to Frankfurt, but big things are expected of the highly-rated young boss.
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The former Augsburg manager certainly couldn’t face a more difficult opponent in his Veltins-Arena bow, but to that end it is something of a free hit for a coach who has previous against the Bundesliga giants. Indeed, Weinzierl was one of only three Bundesliga managers - along with Jurgen Klopp (four times) and Dieter Hecking (twice) - to get the better of Guardiola’s Bayern more than once, securing 1-0 wins home and away with his former employers.
However, the new Schalke boss would become the first for the Royal Blues to get one over on Bayern since Felix Magath in 2011, with a strike from Raul enough to secure a 1-0 DFB Pokal victory and their second win over the Bavarians in succession. Twelve meetings have passed since, with Bayern winning ten and scoring an average of three goals per game. With Robert Lewandowski already up an running with a hat-trick in the season opener with Werder Bremen and having notched twice the last time these sides met, Bayern’s star striker will be in confident mood.
The Poland international will be aiming to add to a tally of 7 league goals against Friday night’s opponents, and it will be up to likes of Naldo and Howedes to keep him quiet. The former had a league debut to forget for the club following his summer move from Wolfsburg, committing an error that handed Frankfurt’s Alex Meier the match winner in gameweek one, but both are well accustomed to facing the Bundesliga champions.
Indeed, both Schalke centre-backs have faced Bayern more than any other side in their careers - Naldo 23 times, Howedes 16 - and both do at least have some fond memories from said matches. The Brazilian scored one of his three goals against FCB in a 5-2 win with Werder Bremen - albeit 8 years ago - while Schalke skipper Howedes also has 3 goals against the Bavarians - more than any other club he has faced - including equalising goals in 1-1 draws home and away as recently as 2014/15.
It may seem odd to suggest, but given Max Meyer is the only other Schalke player to score against Bayern since Raul’s aforementioned winner over five years ago, the hosts' best chance of breaking their visitors' resolve is arguably from set piece situations.
As far as Bayern are concerned, there was relatively little discernible difference from Guardiola’s controlling football to the style under Ancelotti a fortnight ago. The reigning champions had over 70% of possession against Werder Bremen, completed 89% of their passes and mustered 27 shots - 14 on target - to their opponents’ 4. The Italian did, however, name a side that had a more clear structure to Pep’s shape-shifters, with the personnel all lined up in what most would consider to be their strongest positions. In that sense full-backs Alaba and Lahm tended not to drift infield as often but were stationed very high up the pitch, so the hosts may look to utilise their pace on the flanks on the counter.
While the away side is unlikely to see too many changes as a result of their dominance last time out, Weinzierl may experiment a little, particularly with a number of his new signings. Naldo was the only debutant from the off against Frankfurt, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see all three of the substitutes from the narrow defeat come into the starting XI. With youth seemingly a priority of the new manager, Breel Embolo, Nabil Bentaleb and Baba Rahman - who shone under Weinzierl’s tutelage at Augsburg - all made their debuts from the bench two weeks ago and could go one better this time around.
One thing for sure is that whoever is selected for the hosts come Friday night will need to be at the top of their game to put paid to a dismal recent record against a Bayern side looking to prove that their 6-goal victory in gameweek one was just the beginning. With new managers in either dugout, pitting their wits against one another for the first time, here's hoping for an intriguing and competitive encounter.
Can Schalke upset the odds against Bayern this Friday? Let us know in the comments below
