Salzburg vs Bayern Munich: Match Preview and Team Updates

Salzburg and Bayern Munich will meet in a mid-season Club Friendly on Tuesday.

Both teams aim for a strong start to 2026, with Bayern looking to keep their winning form before the Bundesliga resumes.

Salzburg vs Bayern Munich – Match Preview and Team News

• Date: Tuesday, 6th January.
• Kick-off: 2pm BST.
• Venue: Red Bull Arena, Wals-Siezenheim.

Salzburg Team News

Coach Thomas Letsch faces several injury issues. Midfielders Takumu Kawamura and Maurits Kjaergaard are out with long-term injuries, and Lucas Gourna-Douath is not expected to return until mid-January.

Defender John Mellberg is also sidelined, while Jannik Schuster and Sota Kitano have fitness concerns. Former Bayern youth player Frans Krätzig, who joined Salzburg this summer, is set to start at left-back. Petar Ratkov, with nine league goals this season, will lead the attack.

Bayern Munich Team News

Bayern has traveled without some key players. Joshua Kimmich stayed in Munich due to an ankle injury, and Nicolas Jackson is away for international duty at AFCON. Alphonso Davies is a doubt after missing training due to illness, and right-back Sacha Boey is also feeling unwell.

There is good news for Bayern, as Manuel Neuer has returned to full training after a muscle injury, but Jonas Urbig is expected to start in goal to keep Neuer fresh for the Bundesliga. Hiroki Ito is back after a long injury layoff and may play in defense.

Form

Salzburg

The Austrian champions are performing well in their league but faced difficulties in Europe, losing five out of six matches this season. They ended their winter break with a 2-1 win over Wolfsberger AC, following a 1-0 loss to Freiburg. They currently lead the Austrian Bundesliga and hope for a solid performance against Bayern.

Bayern Munich

Bayern has been dominant in the 2025/26 season, remaining unbeaten in the Bundesliga with 13 wins and 2 draws from 15 games, comfortably sitting at the top. They finished 2025 powerfully with a 4-0 win over Heidenheim and a 3-1 Champions League win against Sporting CP, showcasing their attacking strength.

Predicted Lineups

Salzburg: Schlager; Lainer, Gadou, Rasmussen, Krätzig; Diabaté, Bidstrup; Baidoo, Yeo, Alajbegovic; Ratkov.

Bayern Munich: Urbig; Stanisic, Upamecano, Tah, Guerreiro; Goretzka, Pavlovic; Olise, Karl, Diaz; Kane.

How to Watch Salzburg vs Bayern Munich?

Viewers worldwide can watch the match live on FC Bayern TV PLUS, which holds the exclusive streaming rights for this fixture.

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