Mainz vs Bayern Munich preview - Hjulmand plotting Bayern upset

Posted Friday, December 19, 2014 by PA

Mainz coach Kasper Hjulmand has challenged his side to pull off a "sensational" victory over Bayern Munich on Friday night.

Borussia Dortmund are the only German side to have beaten the Bundesliga leaders this season and even that win came in the German Supercup before the start of the Bundesliga campaign.

Bayern have won 13 games and drawn three in the league so far, but the fact those three draws have all come away from home has given Hjulmand a glimmer of hope that his side can cause an upset at the Coface Arena.

"It's maybe the biggest challenge in football," Hjulmand said. "A win would be sensational, but nothing is impossible.

"We have more than a zero per cent chance and the small percentage that we do have of winning is what gives us hope.

"It's not easy to play against us at the Coface Arena, but sometimes even if you give it 100 per cent effort, you still lose if your opponents are better than you."

To complicate matters further, Hjulmand may have to cope without captain Nikolce Nikovski, while Niko Bungert is a confirmed absentee.

Bayern have a few key players out too, with Xabi Alonso, Robert Lewandowski and Medhi Benatia all picking up injuries in the 2-0 midweek win over Freiburg.

"The personnel situation's complicated, but that's no reason for us not to try to win in Mainz," said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola.

"That is what I am demanding from my team."

With the likes of Sebastian Rode and Claudio Pizarro able to stand in for the injured players, even if the former first has to recover from a cold, Bayern should still take a strong squad to Mainz.

A win would take Bayern 14 points clear of second-placed Wolfsburg, who are their first opponents in 2015.