Preview: Bayern Munich vs. WSG Swarovski Tirol – prediction, team news, lineups

German giants Bayern Munich will round off their preparations for the 2024-25 campaign with a friendly against WSG Swarovski Tirol on Tuesday evening.

Bayern will enter the contest off the back of a 3-2 success over Tottenham Hotspur, while Austrian outfit WSG Tirol are two games into their league season, picking up four points to sit second in the table

Match preview

Bayern opened their preparations for the 2024-25 season with a 14-1 win over Rottach-Egern on July 24, before drawing 1-1 with Duren Merzenich in their second fixture of the summer four days later.

Vincent Kompany’s side have since faced Tottenham twice, beating the North London club 2-1 in Seoul at the start of August, before recording a 3-2 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening.

A certain Harry Kane was back on the field against his former club, and the back-to-back successes over a strong Premier League outfit have left Bayern in a good place heading towards the start of the campaign.

Die Bayern will be bidding to reclaim the Bundesliga title from Bayer Leverkusen next term, and they have been busy this summer in the transfer market, with Michael Olise and Joao Palhinha their two standout arrivals.

The Munich giants will take on Ulm in the German Cup on Friday evening, before opening their 2024-25 Bundesliga campaign away to Wolfsburg on August 25.

WSG Tirol, as mentioned, are already three games into their new season, progressing in the Austrian Cup with a 3-0 success over Imst, before playing successive games in the Austrian Bundesliga.

Philipp Semlic’s side beat Rheindorf Attach 2-1 on August 3 before playing out a goalless draw with Grazer AK on Saturday, and four points from two matches has left them in second spot in the table.

WSG Tirol are therefore pausing their league campaign to take part in this glamour friendly, and they will then be back in action away to Rapid Vienna on Sunday afternoon.

The Austrian side have been active in this summer’s transfer window, with their standout addition proving to be Tobias Anselm in the final third of the field.

There have also been a number of departures during the current window, so there is a fresh look to their squad for this season, and it has been a strong start to the campaign for Silberberger’s side

Team News

Bayern could potentially have Olise in their squad for this match, with the attacker helping France pick up a silver medal in the men’s football at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Kane came off the bench against Tottenham on Saturday, but he could now be introduced into the XI, while the same may also be true for Palhinha.

Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui are set to secure moves to Manchester United on Monday, so the pair will not be involved, but Eric Dier is likely to come into the side, with Kompany planning to make alterations ahead of the team’s first game of the new campaign in the German Cup.

As for WSG Tirol, head coach Semlic will hand minutes to a number of squad players on Tuesday, but he is expected to start with his strongest available side.

That will include Bror Brume Jensen, who is already off the mark with two goals and three appearances this season, while Jamie Lawrence is set to feature at the back.

There are options for the centre-forward role, but Lukas Hinterseer is expected to be given the nod for the first whistle, while there should also be a spot in the side for Valentino Muller.

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Stanisic, Dier, Upamecano, Guerreiro; Kimmich, Palhinha, Musiala; Gnabry, Kane, Tel

WSG Swarovski Tirol possible starting lineup:
Stejskal; Sulzbacher, Lawrence, Gugganig, Czyborra; Taferner, Muller, Blume; Diarra, Hinterseer, Skrbo

We say: Bayern Munich 3-1 WSG Swarovski Tirol

WSG should provide competitive opposition for Bayern, which is exactly what Kompany will want at this stage of pre-season, but we are fully expecting the Bundesliga giants to emerge victorious on Tuesday night