LIVE stream: Schalke 04 vs Bayern online, on TV on Aug. 30 – Team sheets & time

August 30, 2014 By Samrin Hasib

Topics: Bundesliga, Bayern, Schalke 04, Live Scores, Live Stream, TV Schedules, TV Listings

Schalke lost their opener to Hannover; having lost their first two competitve matches of the season, they will look to rebound against Bayern.

Bayern has made more headlines this week off the pitch rather than on it. While they performed well against VfL Wolfsburg last week, they showed their vulnerabilities at the back various times. This perhaps led to the signing of Roma's Mehdi Benatia. The absence of Javier Martinez perhaps triggered the signing. However, Bayern also made a signing in midfield to fill in for Bastian Schweinsteiger, who has been troubled with injuries in recent campaigns. They surprisingly captured Real Madrid's aging midfielder, Xabi Alonso.

Pep Guardiola started with a three man back line against Wolfsburg but switched to a four man back line midway through the match; Bayern improved and went on to win the match 2-1. Bayern will point to the fact that they had a goal wrongly disallowed when the referee felt Thomas Müller had intercepted Sebastian Rode's goal from an offside position; replays showed the attacking midfielder had not touched the ball. Wolfsburg will point to Junior Malanda's woeful miss from close range, an opportunity, if converted, would have been the equalizer.

Their opponent this week regularly finishes within the top four but always faces a crisis. This time, the crisis might have come early. Schalke are already out of the DFB Pokal and gave away a one goal lead against Hannover to lose 2-1. They will have to improve ahead of this one. Jens Keller usually manages to find the results exactly when his back is against the wall. They are almost expected to lose to a Bayern side which, at the moment, can be beaten.

Injuries of course do not help Schalke's cause. Sead Kolasinac is out for them as is Leon Goretzka, the influential winger, Jefferson Farfan and keeper Fabian Giefer. Bayern have a longer list of missing players than their opponents. Right back Rafinha is out as is Bastian Schweinsteiger and talented Spanish midfielder, Thiago Alcantara. Youngster Mitchell Weiser and veteran Franck Ribery are also part of that list. Javier Martinez has been ruled out for most of the season already.

Can Bayern win this considering their list of injured players? Can Schalke mount a serious challenge in this game and in the long term, for the title? Let us know your thoughts!