19′ Lazio have seen marginally more of the ball in the opening stages, and have looked capable of picking their way through Bayern’s defence. They aren’t exactly kicking the door down but get the first goal and who knows?
17′ Since Hansi Flick took over as manager, Bayern have won their six home Champions League games by an aggregate score of 18-3, including the 4-1 thrashing of Chelsea at this stage last season.
15′ Luis Alberto finds a pocket of space deep on the left and clips a clever low cross into the area which Milinkovic-Savic stoops low to head towards goal. Hernandez does really well to get a slight touch to the ball which kills its momentum and it bounces safely into Nubel’s hands.
13′ Sane goes close! He gets the ball at the right corner of the area and skips inside onto his left foot, but bends his low shot just wide of the far post. Lewandowski throws himself at the ball for a diving header but can’t get across in time to make contact.
12′ There’s a bit of drizzle in the Munich air tonight, which is helping with some crisp early passing. It hasn’t been end-to-end but it doesn’t look as though the teams have turned up to play out a dead-rubber draw.
10′ Kimmich intercepts a loose pass at the edge of the centre circle and immediately gets his head up, seeking out Gnabry who makes a run in behind down the left channel. It’s slightly underhit and Marusic cuts it out.
10′ Lewandowski is brought down just outside the D and wants a free-kick, but referee Istvan Kovacs isn’t interested.
8′ Lazio get their first chance of the game. Some patient build-up play down the left sees the ball come to Muriqi at the edge of the area with his back to goal. He lays it off to Correa who runs onto it and shoots, but Muriqi seems to get in the way slightly and Correa scuffs his effort wide of the far post.
6′ Lazio get the ball forward to Correa but he’s isolated midway inside the Bayern half, and is soon pressed off the ball as three red shirts converge on him.
4′ First chance of the night. Pavard stands up a deep cross from the right byline, and Lewandowski stretches to meet it beyond the far post. He nods it back across goal but Acerbi hooks it clear with Gnabry lurking on his shoulder for a tap-in.
3′ A ball almost breaks on the halfway line to see Lazzari in behind down the right, but Hernandez is alive to the danger and intercepts in the centre circle.
2′ Each of Lazio’s last 13 games in the Champions League has seen both sides score – that’s the longest such run in the history of the competition, so we should expect some goals tonight.
1′ We’re off!
The teams are on their way out onto the pitch, and we’re moments away from kick-off. The chaaampiooooons…
No side in the history of the European Cup or Champions League has ever lost the first leg of a knockout tie by three or more goals at home and gone through. There have been 88 attempts. 89th time lucky?
Bayern make five changes from the first leg but don’t look a whole lot weaker for it; Nubel, Hernandez, Pavard, Gnabry and Muller come in. Lazio have left star striker Immobile on the bench – Muriqi replaces him in the XI, with Fares, Escalante and Radu also coming in from the first leg.
SUBS: Danilo Cataldi, Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro, Andreas Pereira, Wesley Hoedt, Thomas Strakosha, Patric, Senad Lulic, Marco Parolo, Lucas Leiva, Ciro Immobile, Mateo Musacchio.
LAZIO (3-5-2): Pepe Reina; Stefan Radu, Francesco Acerbi, Adam Marusic; Mohamed Fares, Luis Alberto, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Gonzalo Escalante, Manuel Lazzari; Vedat Muriqi, Joaquin Correa.
SUBS: Bouna Sarr, Javi Martinez, Lukas Schneller, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Niklas Sule, Marc Roca, Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies.
BAYERN MUNICH (4-2-3-1): Alexander Nubel; Lucas Hernandez, David Alaba, Jerome Boateng, Benjamin Pavard; Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich; Serge Gnabry, Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane; Robert Lewandowski.
Hansi Flick’s side are huge favourites to go through, after winning the first leg 4-1 away from home. Simone Inzaghi’s Lazio are well up against it, but never say never in the Champions League.
Hello, willkommen, ciao! It’s the last night of the Champions League last 16, and reigning champions Bayern Munich are continuing the defence of their crown at home to Lazio.
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