Big Weekend Awaits Munich Sports Teams
Munich, December 10 - The holiday season has started and the weather has cooled. OK, it's c-c-cold. But the local sports calendar heats up this weekend, here's your preview.
Friday - Iced treat
EHC look to stop losing form - From the beginning of the season, head coach Pat Cortina has focused more on how EHC München has played than results. After losing the last five of six matches and dropping down to 9th in the table, the team is neither winning nor playing well. There have been comebacks that have fallen short, dramatic shootout heartbreakers, and listless losses.
Getting back on the winning side won't be easy as the Ice Bears of Berlin come into the Olympia Eissportzentrum. Faceoff at 19:30. Berlin has won their last three matches to rise up to 3rd in the table.
Saturday - All Bayern, all day. Wear red
FC Bayern host struggling St. Pauli - FCB had their best showing in the group stage of the Champions League in team's history, but they continue to struggle in the Bundesliga. The latest loss at lowly Schalke last weekend was the latest in a long string of disappointing matches by the defending league champs. At this rate, winning the title continues to be a pipe dream.
But if they are to play in the Champions League next season, and they only sit six points from qualification, getting three points in each of the next two matches are vital. And it starts when St. Pauli come to the Allianz Arena for kickoff at 15:30. The northern German club has lost their last three road matches by a combined 10-0. Bayern are the league's best home team. Figures to be a Bayern cake-walk.
Bayern Basketball host the top match of ProA - Till now, Dirk Bauermann's club has had an easy home schedule, winning by an average of almost 26 points. GiroLive-Ballers Osnabrück are the toughest opponent of the first round to visit Munich, scoring 93 points per match. It promises to be an offensive shoot-out. If you don't have tickets already, don't bother showing up. The match has been sold out for weeks. Follow the Twitter updates @sal_TMT_sports throughout the whole match. Tip-off at 19:30, tweets start at 19:00.
Sunday - Derby Day in Bavaria. Wear blue
1860 travel to Ingolstadt - TSV were able to get back on the winning side last Sunday. The team's ability to rise up to the challenge posed by Berlin could be a preview of a promotion run for the Lions. But first, they have get points against their Bavarian neighbors, FC Ingolstadt 04. The match at Audi SportPark kicks off at 13:30 pits two teams going in different directions: 1860 have not lost in 11 of their last 12 matches. Ingolstadt sit second from the bottom of the table, losing five of eight at home.
EHC host Augsburg - The last time the Panthers ventured into Munich, over 6200 fans packed the house to watch EHC win 4-3 in OT. Both clubs are struggling, Augsburg losing their last five. But as this is a derby, throw the records out as the action may melt the ice. Face-off at 18:30. Twitter updates start at 18:00.
Match reports will be coming throughout the next days and complete wrap-up on Monday. Enjoy the weekend!