Freiburg – Bayern Munich

The champions will take firm revenge on their rivals for the cup defeat

Bayern and Freiburg played their first head-to-head encounter of the week on Tuesday. The entire football community had expected the German champions to play with inspiration and a smashing victory after the Munich club's victory over Borussia Dortmund in that match. But Thomas Tuchel's side failed to live up to their expectations in the German Cup quarter-final. Upamekano scored the opening goal of the game on 19 minutes, but Hefler equalised just eight minutes later and the score remained level until the second half's stoppage time when Musiala played with his hand in the penalty area. Lukas Holer converted the penalty, sending Freiburg into the semi-finals of the competition and making Tuchel no longer the lucky hero after the victory over Borussia, but the hapless coach who lost his chances of winning one of the three possible club trophies in his second game at the helm. Before the Bundesliga clash, bookmakers identified the visitors as favourites, offering odds of 1.48 for a Munich win. In fact, nothing foretold a victory for Freiburg in Munich. During the last month, the team have played a total of six games in the league and the Europa League, with only Hoffenheim being able to beat them. In addition, Straich's side lost both away and at home to Juventus. Of course, Freiburg remain a good disciplined team in fourth place in the Bundesliga, but with the right attitude, the champion should have "demolished" this opponent on Tuesday. Only ten days after Nagelsmann's hasty dismissal and Tuchel's appointment, the new coach was already in a difficult position. On the one hand, he has a professional team that can beat any club in the world. On the other hand, the cup defeat was a consequence of poor match-fixing, which Tuchel should have eradicated in the first place. If Bayern also falter against Freiburg in the league and lose first place in the standings, their players could end up in a psychological hole that is not at all appropriate before the Champions League quarterfinals. In the first match of the season, Bayern thrashed Freiburg 5-0. A convincing win for the champions can also be expected this coming Saturday.