Bayern Munich hope for full stands at the Allianz Arena for the first time in more than 18 months when the Bundesliga leaders host Hoffenheim on Saturday with head coach Julian Nagelsmann again sidelined by Covid-19.The relaxing of regulations in Bavaria means that for the first time since the pandemic hit Germany in March 2020, Bayern could welcome a sell-out home crowd of 75,000.Tickets are however still available and supporters need to be fully vaccinated or show a negative Covid-19 test result.Nagelsmann positive for Covid, despite being fully vaccinated”The boys are really happy to be able to play in an emotionally charged Allianz Arena again, that gives them extra motivation,” said Bayern president Herbert Hainer this week.”The excitement within the team for full stands is huge – as it is in the whole club.”However, Nagelsmann, also missed Wednesday’s 4-0 win at Benfica.Bayern Munich are averaging 4.9 goals per match over their last ten games 🤯 pic.twitter.com/a2YxFsafFo— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 21, 2021 The 34-year-old is isolating at home after testing positive for coronavirus despite being fully vaccinated and could be away for up to two weeks.In his absence, assistant coaches Xaver Zembrod and Dino Toppmoeller will be passing on his instructions.”It’s not like that when Julian isn’t there, I’ll be the boss and make my own decisions,” said Toppmoeller, who stepped in for Nagelsmann in Lisbon during the half-time team talk and post-match interviews.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Nagelsmann will be deciding tactics and substitutions via a radio link. “You don’t make changes yourself there,” Toppmoeller confirmed.Bayern responded to losing 2-1 at home to Frankfurt in early October – their first home Bundesliga defeat for nearly two years – by flooring Leverkusen 5-1 in the Bundesliga before thrashing Benfica in Europe.Hoffenheim have tripped Bayern up twice in recent seasons, handing out a 4-1 thrashing in Sinsheim in September 2020 after claiming a 2-1 win at the Allianz Arena in October 2019.Call H for murder: Only not Haaland, as you would expect, but ex-Hammer HallerBorussia Dortmund, who are second in the table and a point behind Bayern, will lick their wounds at Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday after a 4-0 midweek mauling at Ajax.Dortmund were handed their heaviest Champions League defeat in Amsterdam thanks to a performance their coach Marco Rose described as “crap” as defensive frailties were brutally exposed.BUNDESLIGA – ROUND 9FridayMainz – Augsburg 4-1 (3-0)/Onisiwo 10, Bell 15, Burkardt 26, 71- Zeqiri 69/Saturday16:30: (1.15) RB Leipzig (10.0) Greuther Furth (18.0)16:30: (1.20) Bayern (8.00) Hoffenheim (14.0)16:30: (7.25) Bielefeld (4.50) Dortmund (1.50)16:30: (2.30) Wolfsburg (3.25) Freiburg (3.50)19:30: (3.80) Hertha (3.60) M’ gladbach (2.05)Sunday16:30: (3.30) Koln (3.60) Leverkusen (2.25)18:30: (2.55) Stuttgart (3.30) Union Berlin (3.00)20:30: (3.25) Bochum (3.40) Eintr.Frankfurt (2.35)
