Both Bayern Munich and Schalke 04 are involved in high-profile rivalries with Borussia Dortmund -- in Der Klassiker and the Revierderby, respectively -- but sometimes it’s forgotten that they have a fairly fierce rivalry of their own. They’ve had a fierce, competitive rivalry for decades, and have gone toe-to-toe in some wonderfully impressive matches in that time.
Bayern Munich vs. Schalke 04 2016 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online
Schalke and Bayern have been rivals for a long time, and this weekend their battle could have a profound impact on the Bundesliga.
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In recent years, though, Schalke’s slide from the title race in the Bundesliga has taken some of the spotlight off this age-old battle. With Schalke on the periphery of the battle for the top four, though, and with Bayern still not having put away Dortmund in the title race just yet, there’s a lot on the line in this edition of their rivalry. Especially since Schalke always seem to be able to pull out a vintage performance against Bayern when these two teams meet, this is a match you should pay close attention to, because it will be a whole lot of fun.
Key player -- Joel Matip (Schalke)
With Schalke squaring off against one of the greatest attacking powerhouses of this season in Europe, they need their top defender to be at his absolute best. Matip has the raw skill to make a profound impact on this match, and if he can help keep Bayern’s attack at all in check, it will make the rest of his team’s efforts to get something out of this match significantly easier. A strong performance from Matip would be huge for Schalke’s goals for this season -- it’s time for him to step up in a big way.
Key matchup -- Douglas Costa (Bayern Munich) vs. Júnior Caiçara (Schalke)
Costa has been one of the most pleasant surprises and welcome revelations of the season for Bayern fans, joining the club from Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer and making an immediate and sustained impact on the side. Caiçara has impressed for much of the season for Schalke, but Costa will be a massive challenge for him to keep at bay -- but if he can pull it off, it will take a huge weapon out of Bayern’s arsenal.
Bayern Munich injuries and suspensions
Out: Xabi Alonso, Arjen Robbem Jerome Boateng, Holger Badstuber, Milos Pantovic, Tom Starke
Schalke 04 injuries and suspensions
Out: Sead Kolasinac, Leon Goretzka, Benedikt Howedes, Sidney Sam, Fabian Reese, Atsuto Uchida, Michael Gspurning
Match Date/Time: Sat., 12:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. local
Venue: Allianz-Arena, Munich, Germany
TV: Fox Network (U.S.), TeleClub Sport Live (Germany), BT Sport Europe (U.K.)
Online: Fox Soccer 2 Go (U.S.), Sky Go Deutschland (Germany), BT Sport Live Streaming (U.K.)
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