Gladbach Bayern - have some of that!
Adi Hutter is the recipient of one of the toughest first league matches in charge this season, when he locks horns with Julien Nagelsmann’s Bayern Munich at Borussia-Park on Friday evening. Borussia Monchengladbach endured a disappointing 2020/21 season in the Bundesliga where they finished eighth, with their campaign disrupted by a largely successful Champions League one where they qualified for the knockout stages over Inter Milan and Shakhtar Donetsk. Marco Rose’s departure for Borussia Dortmund was announced midway through the season and it seemed to negatively impact the fortunes of the team. There are still plenty of match winners in the side, Yann Sommer comes into the campaign off the back of an excellent Euros for one, but Bayern enter as heavy favourites nonetheless.
Background
Despite the mountain they have to climb, the fixture does arrive at Hutter’s doorstep as a bit of a free hit. Even if his side lose but respectfully there will be no ill feeling towards him, so he must take the opportunity to learn as much about his squad of players as he possibly can, in looking to restore European football back at Borussia-Park for next season.
Marcus Thuram is the standout name on the team sheet for Gladbach, the precocious striker is a handful for any backline and potentially lineup against Bavarian new boy Dayot Upamecano on debut, could cause some problems. With Germany and France exiting the Euros fairly promptly this summer there should not be too many absences as per extended holiday periods, enhancing the profile of this matchup further.
It will be interesting to see if younger players like Omar Richards, who arrives from Reading, and Jamal Musiala have been able to make a strong impression on Nagelsmann. The former RB Leipzig head coach will be used to working with youngsters from his time there and is expected to acclimatise to the new set of expectations at the Allianz Arena with ease.
A Jonas Hofmann brace and Florian Neuhaus winner did the trick as Gladbach beat Bayern in the identical head-to-head last term, remarkably getting the win after being 2-0 down inside 26 minutes. There is a ruthless side to Nagelsmann and you can be sure he will want his side to fly out of the blocks and build a lead at the top of the Bundesliga, allowing him to turn a greater focus onto a deep run in the Champions League.
This could be a cracking curtain raiser and in line with that I am tipping a classic Bayern Munich double.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
Half in, Bayern could not get over the line for us, 1-1.