Carlo Ancelotti got his career in Germany off to the perfect start before the international break, with Bayern thrashing Werder Bremen 6-0 in the 2016/17 campaign's curtain-raiser. Goals from Xabi Alonso, Philipp Lahm and Franck Ribery and a hat-trick from last season's top scorer Robert Lewandowski secured a comfortable victory for the champions and sent a warning shot to the rest of the Bundesliga; while Werder were extremely disappointing and could hardly have been kinder opponents in a defensive sense, Bayern's display was extremely impressive. Ancelotti's men will take some stopping this year, with most teams likely to go into their meetings with the Bavarians with a mindset of damage limitation.
After missing out on the Champions League by finishing in fifth spot last time out, Schalke will be aiming for a place in the top four and a return to Europe's principal club competition in 2016/17. They did not get off to the best of starts, though, losing 1-0 to Eintract Frankfurt at the Commerzbank-Arena a fortnight ago, and it could take new manager Markus Weinzierl a few weeks to help a much-changed squad – indeed, Schalke signed eight players and sold nine in the summer transfer window – to gel.
It looks like Bayern will be unable to call upon the services of central defenders Jerome Boateng and Holger Badstuber and wide men Arjen Robben, Kingsley Coman and Douglas Costa for Friday's clash at the Veltins-Arena; Javi Martinez therefore looks set to continue in the heart of the backline alongside Mats Hummels, with Lahm and David Alaba in their usual positions on either side of the centre-halves. Youngsters Renato Sanches and Joshua Kimmich are unlikely to be included in the starting line-up but will be hoping for a chance to impress off the bench.
Schalke, meanwhile, will probably have to make do without each of Leon Goretzka, Coke, Fabian Giefer, Atsuto Uchida,Donis Avdijaj, Sidney Sam, Joshua Bitter, Timmon Wellenreuther and Christian Sivodedov. Weinzierl will again line his players up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Franco Di Santo, Max Meyer, Yevhen Konoplyanka, Breel Embolo and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting all vying for the three support roles behind lone striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, while on-loan Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Nabil Bentaleb could start in the engine room alongside two of Benjamin Stambouli, Johannes Geis and Dennis Aogo.
It is difficult to look past a Bayern Munich victory on Friday evening, despite the fact that a trip to Schalke has the potential to be one of their toughest assignments in the Bundesliga this season. Bayern will seek to control possession and pin their opponents back in their own half of the field throughout the match, but Schalke must be brave and commit bodies forward when there is an opportunity to do so. Overall, though, Bayern should prove too strong; a 2-0 away win could be the way to go in this one.
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