After the surprising 0-0 draw at Schalke, FC Bayern is looking to get back on track this Sunday. At 5:30 p.m., the German record champions will face SV Elversberg on the road. With a win, the Munich team could move closer to the top of the table again after earning four points from their first two Bundesliga matches.
However, the match in Saarland is unlikely to be a walk in the park. Elversberg has gotten off to a strong start to the new season and is taking a very different approach than Schalke did last weekend. While the Royal Blues dropped deep against Bayern and defended with great intensity, SVE is characterized above all by a bold and attacking style of play.
Vincent Kompany has also already pointed this out. “Elversberg relied more on possession and creative play, while Schalke relied more on counter-pressing and the transition game. You can see that very clearly in the data. It’s a team that has laid the foundation for success through its soccer skills and has now gotten off to a very good start in the Bundesliga.”
Three aspects could prove particularly important for Bayern on Sunday.
Elversberg aims to put pressure on Bayern with pace and pressing
One of the biggest strengths of Vincent Wagner’s team is its direct play after winning the ball. Elversberg often needs only a few passes to bypass the midfield and get into dangerous areas.
Their movements look well-rehearsed. Players make early runs into space while the ball is quickly moved forward. It becomes particularly dangerous when the opponent defends high up the field and lacks sufficient cover after losing possession.
This is exactly where Bayern will be challenged. The Munich side typically dominates its games with a lot of possession and pushes far forward. If FCB loses the ball in unfavorable situations, it could open up the very spaces that the promoted Elversberg likes to attack.
Added to this is the Saarland side’s aggressive pressing. High intensity was already one of the team’s hallmarks last season. Elversberg aims to put early pressure on the opponent and force mistakes, rather than constantly retreating to their own penalty area.
For Bayern, however, this could also present an opportunity. If Kimmich and company manage to cleanly bypass the first line of pressure, spaces are likely to open up that were virtually nonexistent against Schalke.
Set pieces as an additional weapon for Elversberg
In addition to open play, the Bayern defense must also remain alert on set pieces. Elversberg has technically skilled set-piece takers and several players who can be dangerous in the air.
This could prove particularly significant following quick transitions. If Munich has to stop counterattacks with fouls, the newly promoted team will earn free kicks in promising positions. Bayern should therefore avoid unnecessary set pieces as much as possible.
On paper, the record champions remain the clear favorites, of course. Over the course of 90 minutes, it will also be difficult for Elversberg to sustain their enormous intensity against Munich for the entire match.
Nevertheless, the start of the season has shown that the newly promoted team is bold enough to play its own brand of soccer even against teams with superior individual talent. Kompany therefore knows what to expect from his team.
After dropping points at Schalke, Bayern certainly cannot afford another slip-up. To prevent that, they must above all neutralize three of Elversberg’s strengths: their quick transitions, intense pressing, and dangerous set pieces.