Bayern Munich will be out to reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the eighth consecutive season as they entertain last year’s runners-up Liverpool in a heavyweight last 16 second leg on Wednesday (kick-off: 9pm CET/8pm GMT/3pm ET).
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Confidence will be running sky high in the Bayern camp after Saturday’s 6-0 demolition of Wolfsburg, which saw the defending champions return to the Bundesliga summit for the first time since late September. Niko Kovac will have to do without suspended duo Joshua Kimmich and Thomas Müller – who are expected to be replaced by Rafinha and Franck Ribery – while Arjen Robben has joined Corentin Tolisso in the infirmary after picking up a calf injury in training. On the other hand, Kingsley Coman is hopeful of making the squad after a hamstring strain, even if the Frenchman is unlikely to start. Bayern kept Liverpool quiet in the first leg at Anfield last month, and – with the Allianz Arena roaring them on – will be confident that Robert Lewandowski – the top scorer in the Champions League this season, and now the Bundesliga’s record foreign marksman – can help to fire them past Jürgen Klopp‘s Reds.
In contrast to free-scoring Bayern, Liverpool have been firing blanks for several weeks now, failing to score in their recent outings against the Munich club, Manchester United and local rivals Everton as they’ve fallen off top spot in the English Premier League. Former Borussia Dortmund coach Klopp is nevertheless expected to keep faith with his formidable front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, with England centre-back Joe Gomez the only man guaranteed to miss out as he recovers from ankle surgery. The game will probably come too soon for centre-back Dejan Lovren, who has been sidelined for the past two months with a hamstring injury.
Watch: How Thiago pulls the strings at the heart of Bayern’s midfield
Match stats
- Lewandowski is the top scorer in this season’s Champions League with eight goals, two more than Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.
- Bayern captain Manuel Neuer is set to make his 100th Champions League appearance.
- Surprisingly for two teams who have been European champions five times apiece, the first leg was Bayern’s first competitive meeting with Liverpool since 2001.
- Bayern have reached the quarter-finals or better in each of the last seven seasons.
- Seven of the current Bayern squad were part of the team that beat Klopp’s Dortmund in the 2013 final – Neuer, Jerome Boateng, David Alaba, Javi Martinez, Robben, Müller and Ribery – while Lewandowski and Mats Hummels lined up on the other side.
- Klopp’s record against Bayern reads: nine wins, five draws and 16 defeats.
Probable line-ups
Bayern: Neuer (c) – Rafinha, Süle, Hummels, Alaba – Martinez, Thiago – Gnabry, James, Ribery – Lewandowski
Out: Kimmich, Müller (both suspended), Robben (calf), Tolisso (knee)
Doubtful: Coman (fitness)
Coach: Niko Kovac
Liverpool: Alisson – Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson – Henderson (c), Fabinho, Wijnaldum – Salah, Firmino, Mane
Out: Gomez (rehab after ankle fracture)
Doubtful: Milner (muscle), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lovren (both fitness)
Coach: Jürgen Klopp
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