C. Dingert
Advertisement
Full-time
79'
PLAY RESUMES
After a lengthy stoppage due to some unruly fans, the ball is up and running again with the clock reset to the 77th minute...
77'
BAUMANN TO THE RESCUE
Baumann has come up with some big saves for Hoffenheim today. There was certainly nothing he could do about the goals. The Hoffenheim stopper stands up to another Goretzka effort.
73'
Substitution
73'
OVER THE BAR!
Coutinho finds Hernandez with a peach of a pass. He cuts it back for Goretzka, who goes for power over placement and blazes over. A bit more composure, and that would have been 7-0.
63'
Substitution
63'
GORETZKA MAKES IT SIX!
Superb goal for Bayern - probably their best yet. Kimmich starts the move in his own half with a pass out to the left for Goretkza. He squares to Coutinho, who is allowed all the time in the world to cross over into Hoffenheim territory. Tolisso takes receipt of the ball and knows just where to slide the ball for Goretzka to clip over the advancing Baumann. Superb team goal.
60'
GNABRY BALL
Too easy for Bayern again as Gnabry races to the by-line and thwacks a come-and-get me cross into the box. No one can touch it in, though.
58'
RESTING THE STARS
That's Boateng and Müller, who've gone off for Bayern. The record champions face Schalke in the DFB Cup quarter-finals in midweek, remember...
57'
BAYERN AGAIN
Sebastian Rudy clears off the line from Serge Gnabry, and from the ensuing corner Tolisso is just inches away from adding a sixth.
56'
Substitution
54'
COUTINHO ON A HAT-TRICK
And nearly completes it! Serge Gnabry supplies the cross towards the back post, but the Barca loanee - not known for his aerial prowess - can't make the desired connection.
48'
COUTIN-GOAAAAL!
Oh dear. Hoffenheim are punished trying to play the ball out from the back. Thomas Müller picks it off and pings a cross onto the toe of Coutinho, who slams in first time. Five for Bayern, two for the Brazilian - this could get really ugly.
46'
Substitution
46'
Substitution
Kick-off!
45'
+ 1
BAYERN IN COMPLETE CONTROL
Imperious stuff from Bayern. They deserve to be at least 4-0 up. Hoffenheim haven't been given a prayer!
Half-time
43'
INCHES AWAY!
Gnabry on the left now. He clips a ball into the box - it's flicked on, but Pavard can't make the telling touch at the far post. Hoffenheim are spared... for now...
37'
DAVIES CLOSE!
Alphonso Davies drives forward and forces another good save from Baumann. You have to feel for the Hoffenheim No.1 - he's made some solid stops but, through no fault of his own, has had to pick the ball out of his net four times already.
35'
COUTINHO MAKES IT FOUR
Bayern add a fourth, and we've still got 10 minutes or so of the half remaining. Davies' pace enables him to stop the ball going into touch. The Canadian's cross is cut back to Zirkzee and laid off to Müller. A deflection takes it into the path of Coutinho, who whips goalwards and finds the top corner with the aid of a telling touch off Lucas Ribeiro. He won't care, though, and neither will Bayern. Game over.
32'
GNABRY CHANCE!
Conceding possession is never a good idea, but giving the ball to Gnabry... that's what Zuber does. Luckily for him, Baumann telegraphs it, and is off his line to block the Bayern raider's goal-bound effort.
30'
DOUBLE ZIRKZEE CHANCE
Lovely build-up in midfield from Bayern, before Grillitsch upends Kimmich. The ensuing free-kick is taking quickly, but Zirkee's intuitive chip is plucked out of the air by Baumann. Bayern come again moments later, with Zirkzee applying a deft flick to Gnabry's driven cross - wide. This boy can play!
30'
Substitution
23'
DAVIES ON THE PROWL
The Hoffenheim defence parts as Davies bombs forward with trademark gazelle-like strides and exchanges passes with Zirkzee. It looks for a moment like he might have a go himself, but opts for the cut-back and Hoffenheim snuff it out before Müller can pounce.
22'
WIDE FROM COUTINHO
Coutinho cuts in off the left-hand side, but drags his effort wide of the near post. Kimmich applauds the effort. It'll come...
18'
THREE FROM THREE!
Zirkzee has now scored with all three of his shots on goal in the Bundesliga. He can expect to build on that, the way Hoffenheim are playing. All. At. Sea.
16'
ZIRKZEE!
It gets worse for Hoffenheim. Gnabry whips a ball into the box from the right, Kimmich helps it on and Zirkzee, after rolling his marker, tucks away his third Bundesliga goal. Horror show for the hosts!
13'
COUTINHO CHANCE
Bayern go straight up the other end with Coutinho but, with teammates around him in the box, he opts for the shot - straight at Baumann.
11'
BETTER FROM HOFFENHEIM
The home side come forward for the first time as Florian Grillitsch has a pop from 20 yards. A deflection off Kimmich takes it behind for a corner, from which Benjamin Hübner sends a free header over. They won't get many chances like that!
8'
BAYERN CRUISING!
Routine stuff for Bayern. Jerome Boateng chips a ball into the box for Thomas Müller. He knocks it down for Zirkzee, who's dispossessed but Joshua Kimmich reacts fastest and side-foots the loose ball beyond Baumann. Hoffenheim hadn't recovered from the first goal - this could be a battering unless they can get their act together.
2'
BAYERN LEAD!
Nightmare start for Hoffenheim. Thomas Müller has space to float a cute ball across the six-yard box for Serge Gnabry. He's on the stretch, but manages to hook the ball into the danger zone and Oliver Baumann can only help it into his own net.
Kick-off!
TEAMS OUT!
The formalities are almost over. Hoffenheim in blue, Bayern resplendent in red - hold on tight...
AS THINGS STAND
Bayern can move four points clear at the summit with a win in Sinsheim. Second-placed RB Leipzig - currently a point off the pace - host Bayer Leverkusen tomorrow, while third-in-the-table Borussia Dortmund - currently four points behind Bayern - are about to kick off against Freiburg. As for Hoffenheim, they can climb as high as sixth if they claim maximum points.
WHO IS ZIRKZEE?
If you missed Zirkzee's pre-Christmas salvo, here's a little refresher. He spent two years at Feyenoord, before joining Bayern at 17 and working his way up through the U17s and U19s to the reserves. When he was promoted to the Bayern senior team in November 2019, the Netherlands U19 international had not long put away four goals in three games in the UEFA Youth League – including a hat-trick against Olympiacos – and two more goals in the U19 Bundesliga and Junior DFB Cup. Since opening his Bundesliga account in December, Zirkzee's been splitting his time between the first team and reserves in Germany's third tier. Oh, and he turned down English Premier League club Everton in favour of Bayern.
FILIP COUTINHO?
Barcelona loanee Philippe Coutinho has had his moments for Bayern this season, albeit without finding any real consistency. The Brazil international is on six goals and six assists ahead of his 21st Bundesliga outing, which interim coach Hansi Flick hopes will help "break the dam".
MORE ON THAT HOFFENHEIM TEAM
Top scorer Andrej Kramaric is only fit enough for a place on the bench after missing the 1-1 Gladbach draw with a groin problem. Ihlas Bebou leads the line, with Munas Dabbur ruled out altogether through injury. Otherwise, it's the same team that lined up at Borussia-Park, with Robert Skov on the right-hand side of the attack and Jacob Bruun Larsen manning the opposite flank in front of Steven Zuber.
MORE ON THAT BAYERN TEAM
So it's neither Müller nor Gnabry filling Lewandowski's boots - they line-up in attacking midfield. Instead, 18-year-old Joshua Zirkzee makes his full Bundesliga debut. You might have heard of him - he's the 18-yeard Dutch striker who scored with his first touch against Freiburg on Matchday 16 and repeated the trick against Wolfsburg days later. Coutinho also starts, while Benjamin Pavard and Jerome Boateng return in defence. Javi Martinez is among the subs following an injury lay-off.
HOFFENHEIM XI
Baumann – Rudy, Nordtveit, Hübner (c), Zuber – Grillitsch, Samassekou – Skov, Baumgartner, Bruun Larsen - Bebou
HOFFENHEIM SUBS
Pentke, Kaderabek, Bicakcic, Akpoguma, Kramaric, Lucas Ribeiro, Beier, Posch
BAYERN XI
Neuer (c) – Pavard, Boateng, Alaba, Davies – Kimmich, Thiago – Gnabry, Müller, Coutinho - Zirkzee
BAYERN SUBS
Ulreich, Odriozola, Martinez, Cuisance, Goretzka, Hernandez, Tolisso, Batista Meier
NO LEWANDOWSKI
In case you missed it, Lewandowski is out with a leg injury sustained against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League in midweek. Since debuting in the Bundesliga in 2010, the 31-year-old has missed just 16 league games - and never more than four in a single campaign - but is set to be on the sidelines for around a month. Interim coach Hansi Flick has confirmed Philippe Coutinho will get the chance to shine in the 25-goal Bundesliga top scorer's absence, with Thomas Müller or Serge Gnabry moonlighting in the lone striker's role
STAT ATTACK
They just might... Hoffenheim have won two of their last three home league meetings with Bayern - but have lost 15 of 23 overall. There's also the little matter of Bayern's 12-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
Hoffenheim recorded a famous 2-1 win in Munich earlier in the campaign. It was their first victory at the Allianz Arena - can they make it a season double?
Welcome along to the match centre for the game Hoffenheim vs. FC Bayern from matchday 24 of the 2019/20 Bundesliga season at the PreZero Arena. Check back here for full information on the match.