"Bayern je najbolji bez konkurencije. Netko je rekao da je ta Pepova igra dosadna, pa mi nismo normalni!" 
Robert Prosinečki u novom intervjuu za Max.

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Bayern Kaiserslautern preview, beware of the old foe

Bayern Kaiserslautern preview: old foes reunited. FC Bayern faces FCK in DFB Pokal semi-final on Wednesday, a side that won 24 of their 99 encounters back when it was more successful.

Kaiserslautern, the surprise

German football fans will remember that FC Kaiserslautern has a most interesting history. This team contributed to the 1954 World Cup by sending five players to the national team that surprised the world to win the competition for the first time.

FCK also has spent most of its recent history in the Bundesliga, being among the founding teams. It won the DFB Pokal twice, in 1990 and 1996. It is known as a tough opponent for Bayern. Not a real rival, but FCB has lost and drawn some games to them in a charged atmosphere before.

But as it often happens to football clubs, building a stadium and managing finance doesn’t always go right. In the early 2000's, FCK had to deal with debt and a state of near-bankruptcy. Since, they only returned to the Bundesliga once, for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, suffering relegation again.

Today, FCK is a modest side, coached by Kosta Runjaić. He fields a 4-4-2 formation with compact defending against the best teams. Together, they surprised a sinking Leverkusen in the Pokal in 120 minutes of player in February.

As you should expect for most 2. Bundesliga teams, Lautern doesn’t play with the same kind of speed and instinct found in the top flight. The compactness of its defence doesn’t necessarily make up for lack of pace. That weakness was exposed earlier this year in a friendly with Borussia Dortmund. Lewandowski and his Friends didn’t have much trouble outrunning FCK, finding spaces in their end and beating them with diagonal passes.

Kaiserslautern’s defence can bunch up and forget coverage in the area, which can easily leave a man free to take on the keeper with the ball.

Bayern will still have to watch two players closely.

The first is attacking midfielder/striker Mohamadou Idrissou, from Cameroon and formerly from Frankfurt. Athletical and strong in the air, he also can relay the ball to a striker with a header or a cross. He adds pressing in the opposite half. The second guy is, Zoller who has a good, hard shot on goal.

While FCK isn’t the biggest attacking threat in the world, the two guys have to be on the radar, especially and their team digs in and counts on them to hit on the break.

Possible lineup

Bayern, lesser expectations

I would be lying if I said that I had great expectations for this game. I rather predict that FC Bayern will be motivated enough to do the work, but no more than that.

There was an “injury scare” about Manuel Neuer this weekend, when he was taken out of the game with a minor calf problem. The club has made it clear that he completed training on Monday and that he should start the game on Wednesday.

Aside from Thiago, Shaqiri, Starke and Contento, the squad is available for this game after four days of rest. There are no suspensions in the Pokal at the moment.

FCB should expect Kaiserslautern to defend desperately as any heavy underdog should. Unlike Champions League side, they have no other option and it shouldn’t come as a surprise if they put 10 men behind the ball.

What we should look forward is quick movement on the Bavarian side. Lautern is far from perfect at the back. Fast runs and crisp passing should normally take care of their defence.

Can we expect a big win? On paper, Bayern has what it takes to make it a blowout. But given the recent lack of motivation and dubious tactics used, allow me to think that a win by a pair of goals is more reasonable.

Possible lineup