Preview: Bayern Munich vs Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur will round off their pre-season preparations with a challenging test against Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on Thursday at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern are only just getting back into the groove of things after competing in the Club World Cup over the summer, with their domestic season also starting a week later than the Premier League.

Match preview

It has been a month since Bayern were beaten in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup by Paris Saint-Germain, on a day overshadowed by the awful injury suffered by Jamal Musiala.

Vincent Kompany’s men only returned to action for the new season at the weekend, beating Lyon 2-1 in their first friendly of preseason.

Spurs are up next, before feeder club Grasshoppers provide the final test for Kompany and his side ahead of the new season in Germany, where Bayern will play in the curtain-raiser: the Super Cup against Stuttgart.

Bayern begin their title defence with a tough test against RB Leipzig on August 22, but simply retaining the Bundesliga title might not be enough for Kompany this season, after they flattered to deceive in the Champions League last season.

Luis Diaz has also arrived for a very substantial fee, joining Harry Kane and Michael Olise as another high-profile signing from the Premier League in recent times, so that money spent must translate into better performances on the continent in particular.

Bayern will face Spurs again after the two met twice last summer, with the German giants winning on both occasions, but the most notable previous meeting is undoubtedly the 7-2 win the Bavarians enjoyed in North London in the Champions League in 2019.

It is a very different Spurs now, who have changed managers yet again this summer, appointing Thomas Frank to replace Ange Postecoglou, whose Europa League success was not enough to paper over a 17th-place finish.

With the UEFA Super Cup against PSG coming up next midweek, this is Spurs’ last friendly before the new season gets underway, and while they did beat Arsenal in Hong Kong, that is their only win in four, drawing with Wycombe Wanderers, Luton Town and Newcastle United.

Burnley await on the opening weekend, a few days after Spurs face PSG in Udine, and they will go into those games without captain Son Heung-min, who is leaving for LAFC after 10 years of service to the club.

Bayern Munich Preseason form:

W

Tottenham Hotspur Preseason form:

W D D W D

Team News

Musiala will be out long term after the devastating injury the Bayern man suffered in the defeat to PSG at the Club World Cup last month, with Hiroki Ito and Alphonso Davies also still sidelined.

New signing Diaz remains the only first-team recruit brought in by Bayern this summer, and the ex-Liverpool man got his first run out with his new teammates in their win over Lyon at the weekend.

It was another former Premier League winger who impressed though, as Olise came off the bench to score both Bayern goals in that 2-1 success, and the Frenchman is set to start in this one.

Joao Palhinha is set for his first appearance in a Spurs shirt, and it will come against the side he moved on loan from just a few days ago.

Mathys Tel has made his loan from Bayern to Spurs permanent this summer, and the young striker is also in line to make a swift return to the Allianz Arena in this friendly.

James Maddison will not be a part of the side though after the serious knee injury he picked up against Newcastle, meaning he will join Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin on the treatment table for the long term.

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:

Neuer; Boey, Upamecano, Kim, Guerreiro; Kimmich, Goretzka, Bischof; Olise, Kane, Diaz

Tottenham Hotspur possible starting lineup:

Vicario; Pedro Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bentancur, Bissouma, Sarr; Johnson, Tel, Kudus

We say: Bayern Munich 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs are much more advanced in their pre-season preparations, having started almost a month earlier than Bayern, who were preoccupied with matters in the United States, but the hosts have got the sheer quality to still cause many problems, even if the fitness is not quite there yet.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Â

No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!