6 Things Bayern Munich Should Test in Friendly with Al Hilal
Bayern Munich return to action this Saturday when they take on Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal in the second and final match of their middle eastern tour.
The reigning German champions have made full use of their winter break and took to the sunny region with high hopes of prepping for a full assault on all three competitions between now and the end of May.
With the Bundesliga returning in just over two weeks with a testing clash with Wolfsburg, Pep Guardiola will be hoping to make the most of the friendly match.
Here's what the perfectionist coach has in mind ahead of the weekend clash.
Is Mitchell Weiser Ready for First Team Football?
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One of the key moments of this current mid-season break has been the inclusion of young wideman Mitchell Weiser in the first team squad.
The 20-year-old was on fire when he knocked two goals past the Qatar Stars in Bayern's 4-1 win over the middle eastern side and has now raised the question of his inclusion in the first team when the club return to Bundesliga action.
Weiser, usually played as a winger under Guardiola, will undoubtedly face tough competition for places but has done as much as he can to win is coach's attention. Should he start on Saturday and perform well again then the Spanish manager may have little choice.
The Return of Franck Ribery
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Bayern fans across the globe would have been grinning from ear to ear on Tuesday when Franck Ribery managed to bag a goal in their friendly with the Qatar stars.
Although the Frenchman came back from a long injury before the winter break started, fans and his coaches alike will be hoping that Ribery is fighting fit and ready to go come their opening match against Wolfsburg when the Bundesliga restarts later in the month.
The winger only managed 45 minutes on Tuesday but will be looking to extend that record against Al Hilal on Saturday.
What of Sinan Kurt?
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We may have already discussed the intent of Guardiola to bring another youngster into his first team following the mid-season break in Weiser, yet 18-year-old Sinan Kurt is another player who could find himself facing off against Bundesliga opposition before too long.
The winger, formerly of Borussia Moenchengladbach until this summer, is a genuine talent within German football and will have high hopes of jumping through as many hoops as it takes to get him into the match-day squad.
Start him on Saturday Guardiola and let's see what he's capable of.
Bayern Desperately Need Holger Badstuber Back to Full Fitness
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After missing four months of action following a nasty tendon injury in his left thigh, Bayern central defender Holger Badstuber finally stepped back on to the pitch for Guardiola's side on Tuesday.
Although the 25-year-old defender only managed a brief appearance, coming on for Jerome Boateng in the 63rd minute, Badstuber and his team mates will know just how good it was to see him heading and tackling again in the Bavarian blue and red.
Saturday's match should offer another opportunity for the player to regain more fitness with high hopes of eventually returning to competitive games when the league campaign returns at the end of the month. A welcome sign for Guardiola, who has been forced to shuffle his back-line a number of times this season.
The Continued Excellence of Arjen Robben
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One of the key reasons Bayern have looked so untouchable this season is because of the fantastic form of Arjen Robben in the Bundesliga and Champions League.
According to Transfermarkt, the Dutch international has really pushed on in his goalscoring throughout this current campaign with 12 goals in 18 games across all competitions. A star midfielder who doesn't shy away from match winning goals.
Yet what will interest fans of the Munich club is whether he can keep up this fantastic run for the remainder of the season and into the business part of the campaign when silverware becomes a matter of win or lose from one game to the next.
Speaking to the club's official website on January 14, the winger seemed upbeat about his condition at this stage in the season. “I’m really enjoying myself on the pitch at the moment because everything is right physically,” said Robben, “I want to carry on and work on improving little things.”
Saturday's game, although far from the quality Robben will be forced to compete at later in the season, should be good indicator of where this excellent forward is at the moment.
Regaining That Cutting Edge Ahead of Wolfsburg Test
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Although Bayern will make the trip to Bochum for their final friendly match on January 23, Guardiola will be adamant that his side put on a show on Saturday and play to the level expected of them when they return to competitive games at the end of the month.
On January 30 the Bavarian giants welcome Wolfsburg to the Allianz Arena in what will undoubtedly be one of the biggest tests of the season. Dieter Hecking's side currently sit second in the Bundesliga and if capable of an upset will move to within eight points of the current champions.
As such, Guardiola will know that his side will have to hit the ground running when they face the Wolves on the day. Meaning this coming fixture against Al Hilal is so much more than just a glamour friendly; it's practice for the big match on the horizon.
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