Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin – News and Probable Lineups

Bayern Munich will look to increase their advantage at the summit of the Bundesliga as they host Union Berlin at the Allianz Arena this Saturday, despite having a reduced squad.

The Bavarians are eager to return to winning form this weekend, while Die Eisernen aim to build on their previous success.

Match overview

Under Vincent Kompany’s management, Bayern have shown themselves to be the leading team in Germany’s top tier this season, utilizing their significant offensive strength to create a substantial gap at the top.

With just eight matches remaining in the 2025-26 campaign, Bayern holds a nine-point lead over their Der Klassiker adversaries Borussia Dortmund in the title chase, a success attributed to an attack that has recorded 93 goals to date.

However, their draw of 1-1 against Bayer Leverkusen last Saturday saw the dismissal of both former Liverpool winger Luis Diaz and Chelsea loan player Nicolas Jackson, resulting in their absence for this fixture.

Nonetheless, Bayern has only suffered one defeat in the Bundesliga this season—a 2-1 loss to Augsburg on January 24—and remain confident of securing three points, particularly with capable substitutes like Serge Gnabry ready to step in for Diaz.

The hosts will also be encouraged by their strong performance at Allianz Arena, with a current five-match winning streak, their latest victory being a 4-1 thrashing of Atalanta in the Champions League, along with another 4-1 win against Borussia Monchengladbach on March 6.

In contrast, some supporters of Union were concerned about the club’s ability to retain its top-flight status after they started 2026 with a seven-match winless streak. However, with two wins in their last four outings, Steffen Baumgart’s team is now in a more secure place.

Most recently, Die Eisernen managed to beat Freiburg 1-0, effectively extinguishing their opponents’ hopes for European qualification while achieving only their second clean sheet since a 1-0 win against FC Koln on December 20.

This victory places Baumgart’s side in ninth place in the standings with 31 points, leaving them seven points clear of 16th-placed St Pauli, who are currently in the Bundesliga relegation playoff position.

Encouraged by their latest win and the knowledge that Bayern’s squad is currently stretched thin, the visitors may feel cautiously optimistic about their prospects, though it’s vital to note that Union’s recent win against Freiburg was their first away triumph this year.

Moreover, Die Eisernen faced a losing streak of three away games prior to this success, and they have conceded six goals across their last three matches, which also included a heavy 4-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Werder Bremen on March 8.

Team News

Bayern will miss both Manuel Neuer (calf) and Sven Ulreich (groin) for this match, leading to Jonas Urbig likely starting in goal. The back four may consist of Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Kim Min-jae, and Tom Bischof, given left-back Alphonso Davies’ hamstring injury and centre-back Jonathan Tah’s suspension.

On the attacking front, left winger Luis Diaz and striker Nicolas Jackson are unavailable due to red cards received against Leverkusen, and with 17-year-old Wisdom Okpako Mike sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a tendon injury, attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala is also a doubt due to an ankle issue.

This scenario suggests Serge Gnabry, Lennart Karl, and Michael Olise are set to play behind star striker Harry Kane.

Union, on the other hand, will also be without goalkeeper Matheo Raab, who broke his hand after a man-of-the-match performance against Freiburg. However, first-choice keeper Frederik Ronnow is fit to return from an ankle injury just in time for Saturday’s match.

Midfielder Andras Schafer will be sidelined due to suspension after a red card against Werder on March 8, which may lead Baumgart to favor a midfield trio of Rani Khedira, Janik Haberer, and Aljoscha Kemlein.

Additionally, left wing-back Robert Skov is likely to miss out due to a calf injury, with Derrick Kohn expected to provide width on the opposite flank to fellow wing-back Christopher Trimmel.

Bayern Munich probable starting XI:

Urbig; Laimer, Upamecano, Kim, Bishop; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Karl, Gnabry; Kane

Union Berlin probable starting XI:

Ronnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Nsoki; Trimmel, Haberer, Khedira, Kemlein, Kohn; Ilic, Ansah

Bayern may be missing several vital players, including Diaz and possibly Musiala, yet they are expected to possess ample offense to outperform Union this weekend.

Despite their previous win against Freiburg, Die Eisernen have shown inconsistencies on the road and must strive to keep the scoreline manageable.