Bayern Munich welcome Wolfsburg to the Allianz Arena on Sunday in their final home fixture of the Bundesliga campaign.
The gameweek 33 fixture is Thomas Tuchel's final match in Bavaria before his expected departure, days after a bitter Champions League exit for Die Bayern against Real Madrid, and the outgoing manager hopes for a positive outcome against the Europe-chasing Wolves.
Match preview
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Bayern Munich's final chance of major silverware in 2023-24 vanished in a trice on Wednesday night, when Carlo Ancelotti's men twice netted through Joselu to turn the game on its head after Alphonso Davies's goal seemed to have put the deposed German champions in the driver's seat.
It leaves the Reds with little to play for in their final two Bundesliga games, underscoring the drop-off in Bavaria this term despite the goalscoring exploits of Harry Kane.
The Englishman may have netted 36 times in the top flight in his debut season in Germany, but that has not translated into team success for Tuchel's men, ultimately leading to the 2021 Champions League winner's expected departure.
They hope to return to winning ways on Sunday, keen to continue their impressive feat of never losing to this weekend's opponents on home soil, with Wolfsburg failing to win at Bayern in 26 attempts.
With only Bayer Leverkusen (42 points) securing more home points than the Bavarians (40), the anticipated outcome is for that streak to become 27 on Sunday.
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Despite that awful record away at Bayern, the pressure is off Ralph Hasenhuttl's men, having secured their top-flight status for another year with last weekend's 3-0 triumph over relegated Darmstadt.
It was the Wolves' third consecutive victory in the Bundesliga, a winning sequence that has followed a side that lost five of six league matches before the late-season upswing under the former Southampton and RB Leipzig boss.
Having claimed two road wins in the recent three under the Austrian, Wolfsburg seek to make that three in four against a side they have never defeated at the Olympiastadion or the Allianz Arena.
Even if the pressure is off Hasenhuttl's side, the upshot of the club's upswing means they have put themselves in a position to challenge for the last European spot — currently occupied by seventh-placed Freiburg — despite being five places behind Christian Streich's men.
Only four points separate the Wolves (37 points) from seventh (41), and the White and Greens ending eighth could suffice depending on the outcome of the DFB-Pokal final.
Success for Leverkusen will see Germany claim another continental spot, and that prospect should motivate Hasenhuttl's side, who sit three points behind Hoffenheim before the penultimate game of 23-24.
Team News
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Serge Gnabry was forced off with a hamstring issue in Wednesday's loss to Real Madrid, and the attacker is not anticipated to play on Sunday.
Kane's withdrawal in Madrid led to observers condemning Tuchel, and the manager has since ruled out the Englishman (back) against Wolfsburg, along with Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane (both knocks), pointing to starts for Thomas Muller, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Mathys Tel.
However, Sacha Boey (muscular), Tarek Buchmann (thigh), Kingsley Coman (groin), Raphael Guerreiro (ankle) and Bouna Sarr (knee) are missing through injury.
While Aster Vranckx is touch-and-go for gameweek 33, Lukas Nmecha (muscular) and Mattias Svanberg (shoulder) are ruled out.
Maxence Lacroix has netted important goals from centre-back in road victories at Werder Bremen (2-0) and in the 2-1 win at Freiburg, possibly making him a threat from set pieces.
Jonas Wind's recent two goals may have come in home games, but the centre-forward could add to his 11 Bundesliga goals this weekend.
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Kimmich, De Ligt, Dier, Mazraoui; Laimer, Goretzka; Tel, Muller, Davies; Choupo-Moting
Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:
Casteels; Fischer, Lacroix, Bornauw, Maehle; Gerhardt, Arnold; Baku, Majer, Wimmer; Wind
We say: Bayern Munich 2-1 Wolfsburg
Despite the potential of a European hangover on Sunday, Tuchel's men should secure maximum points to bounce back from two defeats on the trot in all competitions. Wolfsburg have lost 24 and drawn twice in 26 visits to Bayern, and that wretched record is not expected to end this weekend.
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