Bayern Munich will be hosting Union Berlin for an intense clash at the Allianz Arena on matchday 22 in the Bundesliga 2022/23. Both teams are at the top end of the Bundesliga standings, currently tied on points with 43 points each. The hosts are currently placed first, whereas the visitors occupy the third spot. Union Berlin will be motivated to give a strong performance away from home and will hope to take advantage in the title race. Bayern Munich are a force to be reckoned with and will be aware of the stakes. Below, we look at the stats of both teams from the current season to comprehend how this matchup could play out.
Overall comparison
The visual above shows the percentile rank of both teams compared to other teams in the Bundesliga this season. Bayern have better stats than the other teams in all departments. The team are leading the table as well are ranked top in terms of their percentile ranks for most of the departments. Union Berlin, on the other hand, have done well in the league in terms of putting in crosses. Both teams are ranked similarly in terms of entries into the opponent’s penalty area per 90.
Bayern Munich have scored 61 goals, averaging 2.59 xG per match. Their defence has let in 21 goals, conceding 1.0 goals per 90. Additionally, the team averages 64.01% possession per match.
Meanwhile, Union Berlin have netted 35 goals, averaging 1.24 xG per match. Their defence has let in 24 goals, conceding 1.14 on average. In terms of ball possession rate, they average 45.05 % ball possession per match.
Attacking efficiency
The two visuals above compare the two teams based on positional play and counter-attacks. Both teams are far apart in terms of the efficiency of their attacking moves. The hosts hold the advantage for positional attacks and have the upper hand for counterattacks. Bayern creates 35.71 positional attacks and 2.57 counterattacks per match on average. Meanwhile, Union creates 28.38 positional attacks per match along with 1.71 counterattacks. The Champions take 18.29 shots per match with an accuracy rate of 42.7%. The visitors take 10.52 shots per match and have an accuracy rate of 38%. Both teams are quite efficient with the attacks they create, but Bayern Munich have the upper hand.
Defensive capabilities
The above visual represents the ranking of teams in the Bundesliga based on their percentage of defensive duel wins. It can be seen that Bayern Munich are ranked top in the league for successful defensive duels. They have a 58% win rate in defensive duels, and Union Berlin, on the other hand, have a 53% success rate. On average, Union players attempt 65.24 defensive duels and make 42.43 interceptions per 90 versus 59.81 defensive duels and 39.48 interceptions per 90 by the Munich players.
Key Player
In the German Bundesliga season 2022/23, Eric Choupo-Moting has played 11 matches (plus four as a sub). He has 12 shots on target from a total of 23 and has scored eight goals (4.38 xG). Eric Choupo-Moting averages 16 passes per match with a pass completion rate of 78% and has two assists. It can be seen from the above viz that the player has taken most of his shots and scored all his goals from inside the box. He is a lethal attacker and has been in great form, helping the team secure stability in the final third. Berlin will have to keep an eye on his movements and prevent him from getting touched inside the box.
Team news
Julian Nagelsmann will be without the likes of Sadio Mane and Dayot Upamecano due to injury and suspension, respectively. Whereas, for Union Berlin, Hungary international Andras Schafer remains the only major absentee from their squad.
Overall, Bayern Munich boasts the league’s best defence with 21 goals conceded, and Union Berlin are next-best with 24. Also, Bayern and Union are the only unbeaten teams at home this season. It is a clash that may end up being the decider for the title, although it is too early to predict, all three points from this one might give Berlin the needed confidence to go all the way this season.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
