Bayern's Tuchel hopes to have proper centre backs again in Leipzig

Bayern Munich hope to have dedicated centre backs available again for Saturday’s difficult Bundesliga match at RB Leipzig, coach Thomas Tuchel has said.

Tuchel had to field a makeshift defence in Tuesday’s 4-0 German Cup win at third division Preußen Münster because centre backs Matthijs de Ligt, Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae were all not fit to play.

Midfielder Leon Goretzka was used in the heart of the defence in Münster along with full back Noussair Mazraoui, and Tuchel was also without injured Thomas Müller up front.

But Tuchel expressed hope post-match that several players can return for the date against Leipzig, who last month beat Bayern for the German Super Cup title and in fourth are one point behind leaders Bayern in the league.

“I hope that it will work out for Saturday for Thomas Müller as well as for Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upamecano,” Tuchel said.

“But it will be a close race to have them all fit. But it is realistic, it is doable.”

Tuchel said that de Ligt could return next week but he now also has to do without forward Serge Gnabry who broke his left lower arm in Tuesday’s game and will be missing for several weeks.

The coach praised Goretzka and Mazraoui for doing “really well in an unfamiliar position” in Münster.

Goretzka said: “The structure suited me because I was still in the middle, just in defence instead.

“Noussair said before the game that he’d played [centre-back] once before, so his experience in the position benefited us a little. Jokes aside: we’ve played football for long enough. It’s our job to see it through with confidence.”