Two clubs chasing DFB-Pokal glory will do battle today in a cup match between Bayern Munich and Kaiserslautern. The semifinal scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET will be held at the Allianz Arena in Munich and can be live streamed here free.
Bayern Munich find themselves in unfamiliar territory. After starting the season unbeaten in their first 28 matches, the Bavarian giants have suffered consecutive defeats. Now, manager Pep Guardiola is faced with the task of motivating a bunch that has already clinched the Bundesliga title (h/t to Soccerway). "It happened to me in Barcelona too. After we had clinched the league title, we really struggled to raise our game again," Guardiola said.
"The aim as coach now is to build the team up again. Maybe I made a mistake," he added.
"Maybe it was a mistake not just to carry on as we were, but I don't want to make rotation out to be an excuse. I think the problem is we've already won the Bundesliga and we've just dropped off."
Bayern Munich cannot afford to drop off against second-tier Kaiserslautern this afternoon. Will they return to form in the DFB-Pokal semifinal? Tell us @SportsWN
Tactical Preview
Player to Watch: Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm has been a flexible entity for manager Pep Guardiola. The 30-year-old has seen time in the central part of the club's formation and is projected to start as a defender this afternoon. Lahm has averaged 1.2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1.2 key passes per match this season.
Bayern Munich's Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Alaba, Dante, Boateng, Lahm; Kroos, Schweinsteiger; Ribéry, Müller, Robben; Mandžukić.
Kaiserslautern's Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sippel; Löwe, Torrejón, Orban, Dick; Jenssen, Karl; Zoller, Idrissou, Matmour; Lakić
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