Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayern Munich temporarily take a break from Bundesliga action to lock horns in the second round of the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday night.
The hosts prevailed 1-0 against Kaiserslautern to book their spot in this stage of the tournament, while Bayern put 12 unanswered goals past Bremer SV.
Match preview
Despite entering the October international break having posted three wins from their last four Bundesliga matches, Monchengladbach have struggled to pick up where they left off as their topsy-turvy 2021-22 campaign continues.
After being held to a 1-1 home draw by Stuttgart last weekend, Adi Hutter's men went down 1-0 to Hertha Berlin in gameweek nine courtesy of Marco Richter's winner, and Monchengladbach have now dropped to 12th in the table during their post-Marco Rose struggles.
This week's hosts also had to rely on a solitary strike from Lars Stindl to get over the line against Kaiserslautern in the first round of the DFB-Pokal earlier this season, but any chances of a first triumph in this competition since 1995 will truly be put to the test against Bayern.
Furthermore, Monchengladbach have been knocked out in the second round twice in the past three seasons and have lost each of their last four DFB-Pokal games on home soil, but they have gone four matches without defeat at their headquarters since the season kicked off.
Even with Julian Nagelsmann unable to undertake his regular touchline duties due to coronavirus infection, Bayern did their manager proud by storming to a 4-0 success over Hoffenheim on Saturday to maintain a one-point lead atop the rankings.
Robert Lewandowski, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman and Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting all struck for the champions during another romping win, but that victory was hardly noteworthy in comparison to their merciless showing in the first round of the DFB-Pokal back in August.
On a day where Choupo-Moting scored four and Jamal Musiala bagged a brace, Bayern taught Bremer a footballing lesson with a 12-0 thumping of the fifth-tier side - their second-biggest triumph in the club's 121-year history - only behind the 16-1 win that they dished out to DJK Waldberg in 1998.
However, Bayern will need no reminding how Holstein Kiel sent them packing in the second round last season - denying them the chance to add to their 20 triumphs in the competition - and Nagelsmann's side travel to Monchengladbach having scored at least three goals in each of their seven successive away wins this term.
Hutter's side did manage to hold Bayern to a 1-1 draw on the opening weekend of the season, though, and the hosts have proven to be a bit of a banana skin for the Bavarians in recent years, winning four of the last nine encounters between the two clubs.
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Team News
Monchengladbach's defensive mainstay Matthias Ginter has returned to training following an illness and should make the cut this week, but Christoph Kramer and Stefan Lainer remain on the sidelines.
Attacker Marcus Thuram is thought to have a slight chance of being involved this week, although it would certainly only be as a substitute, and the hosts did not report any fresh concerns from the defeat to Hertha.
Alassane Plea and Florian Neuhaus will both eye recalls to the side for the visit of Bayern, with Hutter once again going strong as he did against Kaiserslautern.
As for the visitors, Lucas Hernandez was withdrawn at half time against Hoffenheim as a precautionary measure but ought to be fine for this game, while Leon Goretzka is also expected to be available after a cold.
It remains to be seen if Alphonso Davies will be passed fit after a hip problem, but there is optimism over his availability, and rotation could be on the cards for the visitors given their hectic autumn schedule.
Coman and Choupo-Moting could both earn recalls to the forward line after netting as substitutes at the weekend, but Musiala will not want to lose his place in the final third either.
Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:
Sommer; Ginter, Beyer, Elvedi; Scally, Zakaria, Neuhaus, Bensebaini; Hofmann, Stindl; Plea
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Pavard, Sule, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sane, Muller, Coman; Lewandowski
We say: Borussia Monchengladbach 0-2 Bayern Munich
Monchengladbach have proven themselves to be a bit of a bogey team for Bayern in seasons gone by, but the hosts have struggled for attacking inspiration since the international break concluded.
In contrast, Bayern have had no problem picking up where they left off and have some quality, well-rested attacking options for rotation, so we can only envisage the Bavarians celebrating progress to round three come the full-time whistle.
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