In an hour’s time, the ball will roll in the test match between FC Bayern and FC Red Bull Salzburg, with coach Vincent Kompany using the only game of the winter break to get his team in the mood for the new year.
Just over two weeks after their last competitive match, FC Bayern take on the Austrian champions at the Red Bull Arena today. With an eye on the start of the new year in the Bundesliga against VfL Wolfsburg, Kompany is testing out his team intensively today and is relying on several young players.
Jonas Urbig starts in goal, Josip Stanišić, Dayot Upamecano, Noel Aseko Nkili Kiala and Hiroki Ito in defence. Leon Goretzka and David Santos Daiber start in central midfield, with Michael Olise, Raphaël Guerreiro and Jonathan Asp-Jensen Mike forming the attacking front three. Harry Kane captains the team in the center of attack.
The bench is packed with talent with Cardozo, Pavlović, Karl, Chávez, Ofli, Fernández, Della Rovere and Prescott, while experienced players such as Serge Gnabry, Luis Díaz, Konrad Laimer, Jonathan Tah, Minjae Kim and Tom Bischof are also available.
In addition to the long-term injured Jamal Musiala, for whom a test match is still too early according to his own statement, Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich are also missing. While Neuer should be ready for action again by the start of the second half of the season, Kimmich will miss the match against Wolfsburg with persistent ankle problems. Musiala is aiming for a return in the course of January. Whether he will be back in the squad against Wolfsburg is currently still open. Nicolas Jackson is currently in the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup with Senegal and is likely to miss the record champions for some time. Alphonso Davies and Sacha Boey are also absent due to illness.
The line-ups at a glance
FC Red Bull Salzburg: to follow shortly
FC Bayern: Urbig – Stanišić, Upamecano, Kiala, Itō – Goretzka, Santos Daiber – Olise, Guerreiro, Mike – Kane
FC Bayern substitutes‘ bench: Ulreich, Prescott – Kim, Tah, Gnabry, Díaz, Bischof, Laimer, Della Rovere, Fernández, Ofli, Chávez, Karl, Pavlović, Cardozo
Today’s hosts FC Red Bull Salzburg are top of the Austrian Bundesliga at the winter break. Salzburg have collected 32 points from 17 league games, putting them ahead of LASK and Sturm Graz. A real yardstick awaits the Austrians in the shape of Munich.