
Bayern Munich vs. Hertha BSC: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Perennial Bundesliga favorites Bayern Munich host this season's surprise outfit Hertha BSC this Saturday, as Pep Guardiola's side aim to potentially wrap up the winter title.
The hosts hold an eight-point advantage over Borussia Dortmund in the league table, and three points against Hertha would mean that anything other than a win for BVB on Sunday would make Bayern uncatchable in the league table before the festive break.
It won't be easy for Bayern, though, for a variety of reasons. Guardiola's squad has thinned lately, with Thiago Alcantara joining Mario Gotze on the sidelines for the next few weeks. And in the last few days, David Alaba and Arjen Robben were forced to be substituted off due to injuries sustained on the pitch.
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The other big obstacle opposing Bayern's success is a surprisingly strong Hertha side. The capital team have yo-yoed between the top two divisions of German football in recent years, but they are now fourth in the league table and just a single point behind Wolfsburg. Only Bayern and Ingolstadt have conceded fewer goals than Hertha, who are masters of efficiency despite not scoring often.
Pal Dardai and his side have won four of their last five games and visit Munich with heads full of steam. The trainer emphasized in his pre-match press conference (via Spox, in German) that although his side will need to defend well when out of possession, they must not to be afraid to play their style of football.
However Hertha play, they will likely find it difficult against a Bayern team that has dropped just two points in the Bundesliga this season. The Bavarians are in good form and, with the winter title within their reach, will have extra motivation in Saturday's match.
Date: Saturday, November 28
Time: 2:30 p.m. GMT / 9:30 a.m. EST / 3:30 p.m. local time
Venue: Allianz Arena, Munich
TV Info: Fox Sports 1 (U.S. only), BT Sport Europe (UK only, on time delay beginning 11:45 p.m.)
Live Stream: FoxSoccer2Go (U.S. only), Not available (UK only)
Form Guide
| Bayern Munich | Hertha BSC |
| Olympiakos: Win | Hoffenheim: Win |
| Schalke: Win | Hannover: Win |
| Stuttgart: Win | Monchengladbach: Loss |
| Arsenal: Draw | FSV Frankfurt: Win |
| Frankfurt: Win | Ingolstadt: Win |
Predicted Lineups
Bayern Munich
Pep Guardiola will have to do without Juan Bernat, Gotze, Franck Ribery and Thiago on Saturday, but he expects to have Alaba back in the starting lineup.
Possible Bayern starting XI: Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Martinez, Alaba; Vidal, Alonso; Coman, Muller, Costa; Lewandowski.

Hertha
There are concerns over the fitness of right-back Mitchell Weiser, who returned to training after a minor layoff but might not be 100 percent fit to start on Saturday.
Fellow ex-Bayern man Thomas Kraft is definitely out due to a shoulder injury, and Peter Pekarik, Niklas Stark, Sami Allagui and Julian Schieber are all set to miss out on this weekend's action.
Possible Hertha starting XI: Jarstein; Weiser, Langkamp, Brooks, Plattenhardt; Skjelbred, Darida, Lustenberger; Beerens, Kalou, Haraguchi.
Players to Watch
Saturday will be a big day for Weiser as he faces the club for whom he rarely played during his stay from 2012 to 2015. The right-back has made good progress in his career since leaving the Allianz Arena.
It will also be a special game for Kingsley Coman as he tries to step into Robben's boots. The Frenchman came on as a substitute for his injured teammate in midweek and played brilliantly, scoring Bayern's fourth goal against Olympiakos. In the starting lineup again, he'll hope to make a good impression from kick-off to full-time.

Key Battles
Douglas Costa vs. Mitchell Weiser
Costa has been Bayern's best winger this season, and he will be relied on even more in the absence of Robben. As a creator, there are few in world football who can compare with the in-form Brazilian. Already, he's assisted 14 goals and scored five directly in all competitions.
Opposite Costa will be Weiser, who left the Allianz Arena over the summer and has taken like a fish to water in Berlin. Recently capped for Germany at under-21 level, he'll have a point to prove against his former employers.
Kingsley Coman vs. Marvin Plattenhardt
Coman has come on brilliantly in recent weeks, becoming a model for young Bayern players as he's earned relatively regular playing time. He'll line up on the wing in Robben's usual spot, and all eyes will be on the recently capped France international as he looks to make a name for himself.
A Germany youth international from under-17 to under-21 levels, Marvin Plattenhardt has struggled recently to become the player he once promised to be. Facing Bayern is always a big challenge, but it also offers the opportunity for him to make a name for himself. How he fares against Coman could be decisive to the result.
Odds (courtesy of Odds Checker)
Bayern: 1/9
Draw: 12/1
Hertha: 50/1






