Bayern faces Leipzig challenge

RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick said his side will approach Wednesday's Bundesliga encounter with Bayern Munich with the aim to win.

Ralph Hasenhuttl's men have already claimed the scalps of Champions League duo Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Leverkusen this term.

RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick said his side will approach Wednesday's Bundesliga encounter with Bayern Munich with the aim to win.

Leipzig sit second in the table heading into the match at the Allianz Arena, level on point with leaders Bayern after a stunning start to life in the top flight.

Ralph Hasenhuttl's men have already claimed the scalps of Champions League duo Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Leverkusen this term and Ragnick says they are once again going for a statement success.

"We cannot do anything else than play for the win," Rangnick told Sky90. "We are going to Munich to pick up the three points if possible.

"I don't think you can approach the game any more ambitious. The fact that we are the youngest team in the Bundesliga makes this match even more interesting. We are breaking the rules from a certain point of view."

Bayern will be missing centre-back partner Jerome Boateng, who needs a shoulder operation. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti said he already knows his line-up and it's more than likely Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery will start on the flanks.

While Leipzig impressed against Hertha, Bayern were lacklustre in Sunday's 1-0 win at Darmstadt which was settled by a superb goal from Douglas Costa.

"We took three very important points, without which it would have been difficult on Wednesday against RB Leipzig," said Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

"But we can't be satisfied with the performance — that wasn't FC Bayern today and Wednesday will be a duel between equals."

An unthinkable defeat would mean Bayern go into the winter break with the German media inevitably asking all sorts of uncomfortable questions of Ancelotti's star-studded squad.

"The respect is huge and it's going to be a demanding test. We will have to put in a top performance, a standard one isn't going to be good enough against a team like that," said Mats Hummels.

Fixtures:

Wednesday: Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig; Hertha Berlin v Darmstadt; Cologne v Bayer Leverkusen; Ingolstadt v Freiburg; Hoffenheim v Werder Bremen.