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Bayern's players celebrate the third goal scored by their team, during a Champions League Group F soccer match between Olympiakos and Bayern Munich at Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in Piraeus port, near Athens, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Bayern's players celebrate the third goal scored by their team, during a Champions League Group F soccer match between Olympiakos and Bayern Munich at Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in Piraeus port, near Athens, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)Petros Giannakouris/Associated Press

Darmstadt vs. Bayern Munich: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info

Clark WhitneySep 18, 2015

Newly promoted Bundesliga side Darmstadt will look to keep their strong run of form alive on Saturday, but they will face a new level of challenge as they play host to three-time defending German champions Bayern Munich.

The Hesse-based side managed a shock win away to Champions League contenders Bayer Leverkusen last week and are undefeated in competitive play this season, having advanced past Erndtebruck in the DFB-Pokal and earned three draws before their surprise victory at the Bay-Arena. Widely considered candidates for relegation ahead of the season's start, Darmstadt now stand 11th in the table and just a point out of a top-four spot.

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There are 30 games left to be played, though, including two monumentally difficult tasks against Bayern, the first of which comes on Saturday.

Bayern enter this weekend's action undefeated in competitive play since the DFL-Superpokal, having won all four of their Bundesliga fixtures thus far. They played in the Champions League on Wednesday, earning a convincing 3-0 win against Olympiakos in Piraeus.

The win in Greece was not without its downsides for Bayern, however, as Robert Lewandowski, Arturo Vidal and Xabi Alonso left the pitch injured in the second half.

On the other hand, substitutes Kingsley Coman and Mario Gotze were magnificent, combining for Bayern's second before the former won a penalty for the third. They and others may have a chance to prove themselves this weekend, depending on the fitness of their teammates.

Date: Saturday, September 19

Time: 2:30 p.m. BST / 9:30 a.m. EST / 3:30 p.m. local time

Venue: Merck-Stadion am Bollenfalltor, Darmstadt

TV Info: Fox Soccer 1 (U.S. only), BT Sport Europe (UK only, on time delay, starting 11:45 p.m.)

Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go (U.S. only)

Form Guide

DarmstadtBayern
Leverkusen: WinOlimpiakos: Win
Hoffenheim: DrawAugsburg: Win
Schalke: DrawLeverkusen: Win
Hannover: DrawHoffenheim: Win
Erndtebruck: WinHamburg: Win

Predicted Lineups

Darmstadt

Dirk Schuster can expect a nearly full squad to take on Bayern, with only Yannick Stark and Patrick Platins set to miss out.

Possible Darmstadt starting XI: Mathenia; Garics, Sulu, Caldriola, Holland; Niemeyer, Gondorf; Heller, Rosenthal, Rausch; Stroh-Engel

Bayern Munich

Three big question marks in the Bayern squad as of Thursday were whether Lewandowski, Alonso and Vidal would be fit to play. If not, there would be a chance for youngsters like Coman, Gotze and Joshua Kimmich to start. Arjen Robben, Mehdi Benatia, Franck Ribery, Holger Badstuber and Jan Kirchhoff are all set to miss out on the action with various injuries.

Possible Bayern Munich starting XI: Neuer; Rafinha, Boateng, Alaba; Lahm, Kimmich, Thiago, Bernat; Muller, Gotze, Costa

Players to Watch

Saturday's match should be especially interesting from the perspective of a Bayern supporter, as several of the squad's fringe players can expect a run-out. Gotze has been in great form for club and country, and Coman was sensational in midweek.

For Darmstadt, Konstantin Rausch is one to watch on the left wing, an energetic player with good all-round attacking and defending abilities. Captain Aytac Sulu also showed last week that despite being a defender, he can score goals.

Key Battles

Konstantin Rausch vs. Thomas Muller

Although Rausch will be deployed in an attacking position on the left wing, he'll also have to help Fabian Holland in defensive areas in order to contain Thomas Muller. When not in his own half, the former Stuttgart man will be a threat on the ball. He's a good crosser and provides quality delivery from set pieces.

Muller scored twice in midweek, increasing his tally to 11 goals and three assists in eight games in all competitions for club and country this season. At the moment, he seems to be simply unstoppable. Few players in world football are anywhere near his level of form at the moment.

Jan Rosenthal vs. Thiago Alcantara

Jan Rosenthal will be the man behind the main striker for Darmstadt, the No. 10 upon whom the hosts will depend to produce a moment of magic. It's a tall order, but the 29-year-old is in his prime and in good fitness. He once showed the quality to be a Germany under-21 international; perhaps he'll pull a rabbit out of the proverbial hat on Saturday.

If Vidal and Alonso are indeed sidelined, Thiago Alcantara will have to take on an extra bit of responsibility in the midfield. The 24-year-old has thrived under Pep Guardiola as a Bayern player, and he has all the class needed to decide the match. It may be tricky to pick through a Darmstadt defense that will undoubtedly play deep, but if any Bayern player can do it, it's Thiago.

Odds (courtesy of Odds Shark)

Darmstadt: 129-20

Draw: 22-1

Bayern: 20-129

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