Pep Guardiola's men were beaten 4-1 by the second-placed Wolfsburg on Friday, a result that cut the gap between the two to eight points.
Bayern still lead the league comfortably and are 15 points ahead of Borussia Monchengladbach in third, but the Bavarian giants will be keen to hit back as they go in search of a third successive title.
Defender Jerome Boateng said after the Wolfsburg defeat: "It's simple - we played really badly.
"We have to take a good, long look at ourselves."
A quick turnaround helps Bayern, who face a Schalke side missing star striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar through suspension.
Roberto Di Matteo's side could welcome back top scorer Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, though, following Cameroon's elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations.
In another boost to the fourth-placed Schalke, winger Franck Ribery (thigh) is expected to miss for the hosts.
Wolfsburg, who splashed the cash to sign Andre Schurrle from Chelsea on transfer deadline day, go to Eintracht Frankfurt - also on Tuesday.
Bas Dost and Kevin De Bruyne both scored doubles in the Bayern win and Schurrle's arrival adds further firepower to a Wolfsburg side looking increasingly likely to finish second.
From Borussia Monchengladbach to Bayer Leverkusen, in sixth, just one point separates several teams angling for a UEFA Champions League berth.
One goal was enough for Gladbach at relegation-threatened Stuttgart on Saturday and they host struggling Freiburg on this occasion.
Freiburg were bottom over the mid-season break and trailed Frankfurt 1-0 after 61 minutes on Saturday.
But a remarkable finish - which included Nils Petersen, a new loan signing from Werder Bremen, scoring a hat-trick - saw Freiburg claim a 4-1 win.
They climbed to 14th, and safety, with the win.
Augsburg, in fifth, and Leverkusen, are both in action on Thursday.
Augsburg go to rock-bottom Borussia Dortmund, while Bayer Leverkusen will aim to bounce back from a dull goalless stalemate against Jurgen Klopp's side when they visit the German capital to play Hertha Berlin.
Elsewhere, second-bottom Stuttgart visit Cologne and Paderborn play Hamburg in a potential relegation six-pointer.
Hannover face Mainz and Hoffenheim clash with Werder Bremen in other matches.
