Bayern eyeing all-time goal record at Freiburg
Bayern Munich has all but wrapped up the Bundesliga title with a nine-point advantage and seven games remaining but motivation will not be an issue when it travels to Freiburg this weekend, with the league's scoring record in sight.
The Bavarian side has tallied 97 league goals in a dominant season so far, four short of the record 101 from its 1971-1972 campaign.
Vincent Kompany's team looks set to top the 99 goals scored last year in the Belgian coach's first season in charge, while forward Harry Kane is eyeing Robert Lewandowski's all-time Bundesliga scoring record of 41 goals in a single season.
The England captain has already netted 31 times in the Bundesliga, and team-mate Luis Diaz has added another 15, with Michael Olise delivering an impressive 17 assists to his 11 goals.
Freiburg's defenders will have their work cut out but Bayern knows it is facing a team with a lot left to play for.
As well as a DFB Pokal semi-final and a first UEFA Europa League quarter-final spot against Celta Vigo next week, Freiburg is also battling for one of the Bundesliga's European qualification places.
Freiburg is a tough nut to crack at its own stadium, losing only two of its 19 home matches in all competitions, but its busy schedule has taken a toll in the league.
Sitting in eighth place, it is nine points off sixth spot, which brings a berth in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Depending on results in the DFB Pokal, seventh place could also be enough to qualify for the third-tier European competition next season.
“As a team, we set ourselves the goal to go into spring with a double workload," Freiburg coach Julian Schuster said.
"But now, we’re still playing in three competitions. That is anything but a given. Of course, I am very happy that we’ve got to this stage in the season. There is great anticipation for the upcoming, exciting challenges."
These challenges include league matches in April against Bayern and second-placed Borussia Dortmund as well as the DFB Pokal semi against Stuttgart.
Including its UEFA Europa League fixtures, Freiburg has seven matches in 21 days.
"We are very grateful for these upcoming challenges and we’re definitely looking forward to them more than we are seeing them as a burden," Schuster said.
"These are very exciting times, and I will certainly have to take one or two days at the end of the year to just reflect on all that has happened."
