Gladbach vs. Bayern Munich: Key Issues That Will Shape Bundesliga Game
The Bundesliga's top-ranked teams face off this Sunday as Borussia Monchengladbach play host to Bayern Munich. The Bavarians have been in blistering form as of late and after two draws earlier in the campaign have won every fixture over the last month. Their latest scalp was claimed in Italy as they hammered Roma 7-1 in the Champions League.
Gladbach enter Sunday's fixture just four points behind Bayern, but they will have a huge task on their hands as they take on a prolific attack that has scored 13 goals in the last two matches. If any Bundesliga team can hold Bayern scoreless, though, it's Lucien Favre's side: The Fohlen have the league's second-best defensive record (behind Bayern), having conceded just four goals in their first eight domestic games.
Ahead of Sunday's clash, B/R takes a closer look at the factors that could decide Gladbach vs. Bayern. Click "Begin Slideshow" for a full analysis.
Max Kruse: Is He Ready to Take the Next Step in His Career?
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Over the last three seasons, Max Kruse has emerged and established himself as a star of the Bundesliga. At Freiburg and later Gladbach, he's been absolutely prolific: Over the last two seasons in the German top flight, he's scored 17 goals and given 14 assists in 40 appearances. It's this kind of form that has seen a once-ordinary player break into the German national team.
At the same time, Kruse is not proven on a stage beyond the Bundesliga or international friendlies. The 26-year-old is yet to score in a competitive game for Germany and has never found the net against Bayern. He could yet prove himself, but until he does, there will predictably be questions that he has reached his ceiling at Gladbach.
Kruse still has plenty of time left during the prime of his career and will have many opportunities to prove his doubters wrong. The first comes this weekend.
The Fatigue Factor
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Competing in the Champions League and Europa League is an enormous burden for any club. This holds true especially coming after a World Cup summer.
Bayern will be better positioned than their opponents heading into Saturday's match, having been able to rotate their line-up in their last two fixtures and playing their Champions League match against Roma on Tuesday. On paper, the opposition was a tougher side than Gladbach would face, but the fact that the score was 5-0 to Bayern before half-time made it a rather easy game in terms of the physical and mental strain involved.
Gladbach have been in brilliant domestic form, but after failing to win either of their first two Europa League matches, they entered Thursday's meeting with Apollon Limassol in desperate need of three points. They perhaps had less of a stage to perform on than Bayern but were under more pressure to aim for victory. They had less room to rotate and, most critically, will have had two fewer days to recover than Bayern.
Without a doubt, the Fohlen will have to dig deep to gather the strength to contend with the Bundesliga's record champions.
Julian Korb vs. Mario Gotze
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Last week, German tabloid Bild reported that Julian Korb is currently being considered by Joachim Low as a successor to Philipp Lahm as Germany's right-back. The 22-year-old has flown under the radar for much of his young career thus far, but he has solidified his role on the right of the Gladbach defense and is a regular starter for the German under-21 national team.
Korb is a key part of the Gladbach defense, but he will face a new level of challenge as he goes head-to-head with, in all likelihood, Mario Gotze.
After a few weeks of ups and downs, Gotze has been in red-hot form as of late. In all competitions, he's scored eight goals and assisted three more, the most recent being a pinpoint-accurate strike for Bayern's second against Roma. He's one of world football's most in-form players and will be a huge test for the young Korb.
Bayern's Motivation
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Given the difference in the rest each club has enjoyed in recent days, and the unbelievable form Bayern have shown, it's hard to see any other result than a victory for the visitors in Sunday's match. With all the considerable respect that is due to Gladbach, the three points are Bayern's to lose.
It's entirely possible, though, that Bayern will drop points. They've walked over their opponents with little resistance as of late and have opened considerable leads in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League over their rivals.
Bayern switched off after winning the Bundesliga in record time last season; they should be well aware of the dangers of assuming they will easily sweep aside Gladbach. But if they did it before, they might do it again.
Pep Guardiola will have to ensure his players stay focused from now until the winter break. If they play at half their level from Tuesday, they should have no trouble taking care of business in Gladbach.
