By Dan Gaichas
Now it’s on to business. Bayern begin the first of what is going to be seven matches in three weeks at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen. Schalke are coming off a shock 1-0 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt and will be without Franco Di Santo with muscle problems while Naldo is a doubt with back pain. Last season, Die Königsblauen (Royal Blues) finished in 5th just out of the Champions League now have a new manager in Markus Weinzierl from FC Augsburg.
Renato Sanches is fit again as it Douglas Costa and both might see action on Friday. All of Bayern’s nine internationals from this past week are back with no apparent problems. Manager Carlos Ancelotti is expected a tough battle against a team hoping to break an 11-match winless streak against Bayern.
“A very important phase starts tomorrow,” Ancelotti declared after the final training session on Thursday. “We’re ready for the period, it’s a very important one. It’ll be important to start with a win. They have a new team, new players, a new coach. We have to consider their qualities. It’s going to be a tough match,”
Kickoff is at 1:30pm Central Time on FS1.
