Bundesliga 2019-20: FC Schalke v Bayern Munich - Match Prediction
In the years past, we may have considered Bayern Munich traveling to face FC Schalke as one of the tougher fixtures in their calendar, but sadly for Schalke, it doesn't seem to be the case anymore.
Die Königsblauen had quite a poor season last time around, which led to the appointment of former Huddersfield manager David Wagner. He will look to build this side in his image, as he renovates an under-fire Schalke team from the ground up.
At his disposal, Wagner has a team with substantial promise, but at the moment they seem very mediocre. They should still be able to stitch together some results, but prospects look bleak for their first home game of the season when the champions come visiting.
Wagner favors a 4-2-3-1, which has 22-year-old Amine Harit at number 10 behind Guido Burgstaller for now. If Wagner can spark Harit to show the skill and Intelligence on the ball that he did a couple of seasons ago, Bayern may have a few issues in defense.
Bayern Munich looking to bounce back
At the moment, Bayern are looking good to cruise through this tie. Their primary concern will be focusing on breaking down this Schalke defense, who were able to keep Borussia Monchengladbach out in their opener.
Bayern are likely to dominate possession, with the hosts expected to push bodies back and defend in numbers. They're set to line up just as they did in their previous game, perhaps handing their new signings Ivan Perisic and Philippe Coutinho debuts from the bench.
Schalke will also be wary of sharpshooter Robert Lewandowski, rather more than the others because the Polish striker has 15 goals in 20 meetings against them. He has scored in each of the last eight fixtures played between the two sides across all competitions.
It may turn out to be a question of 'how many', if Bayern manage an early goal on the day. They will go for the jugular, having already dropped points in their first game.
Predicted Score: FC Schalke 0-4 Bayern Munich