Bayern Munich will be seeking to proceed their dominance of Champions League Group C as they welcome Viktoria Plzen to the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night.
Michal Bilek‘s side will be looking to pick up their first points of a challenging European campaign so far.
Match preview
After a formidable 4-0 win in the league on Friday night, where their struggles have been this season so far, Bayern return to the comfy territory of the Champions League group stage where they’ve picked up impressive victories against Inter Milan and Barcelona and have but to concede a goal.
Leroy Sane has scored in both group games up to now and shall be seeking to proceed his eye-catching begin to this season after two years at Bayern the place he has struggled to at all times show the kind of form many were anticipating after his performances at Manchester City.
With back-to-back games against Plzen in the competition, The Bavarians can pretty much wrap up qualification for the knockout phases, which will not solely take the pressure off two challenging games on the finish of the group stage but may even allow a focus on the league, which can prove important as the schedule is very tight in the run-up to the World Cup.
Nagelsmann will most certainly even have one eye on their upcoming league fixture in opposition to Borussia Dortmund and shall be hoping his side can wrap up this recreation early, so he can take advantage of the depth of their squad, resting key players earlier than a vital conflict within the Bundesliga.
COVID cases within the Bayern Munich squad may be one concern that could hamper their preparation for this fixture and upcoming ones, after Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka examined optimistic final week and each Thomas Muller and Joshua Kimmich tested positive after the Bayer Leverkusen fixture on Friday.
Viktoria Plzen, who’re unbeaten of their league campaign so far, have faced a different calibre of opponents in the Champions League, and the results of their fixtures have probably not shocked anyone.
Colombian midfielder Jhon Mosquera, who has featured within the ahead line in European competition, would be the key man to look out for within the Czech team’s lineup, having scored 5 times in six starts from midfield so far this campaign, including of their final league fixture which was a 1-1 draw against Bohemians 1905 on Saturday.
After getting by way of two qualifying rounds and a playoff to get into the Champions League, Plzen may have been hoping for a more favourable draw which might have given them a possible probability of securing a third-place spot in the group and due to this fact a Europa League knockout spherical playoff spot however as an alternative, they received drawn against three European giants.
Improvements had been made between the primary and second group game and they will be hoping to make one other step ahead on this recreation, after conceding 5 goals against Barcelona and two in opposition to Inter Milan.
Bayern, however, would be the most difficult opponent, given their latest performances within the Champions League.
Bayern Munich Champions League form:
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Bayern Munich form (all competitions):
- DWDWLW
Viktoria Plzen Champions League form:
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Viktoria Plzen form (all competitions):
- WLWLWD
Team News
With positive COVID cases for both Muller and Kimmich, there will be a few adjustments to the Bayern Munich starting lineup for this one.
Marcel Sabitzer is prone to start in the deeper midfield as he did in their previous fixture, with Goretzka alongside him, after his recovery from COVID noticed him make a substitute look on Friday.
The alternative for Muller is much less clear, with summer signing Mathys Tel a possible choice to guide the ahead line but also an array of false nine options together with Sadio Mane, Sane or the in-form Jamal Musiala.
Lucas Hernandez, Kingsley Coman and Bouna Sarr may even miss out by way of damage for the hosts.
Viktoria Plzen shall be without midfielder Pavel Bucha as he was despatched off of their earlier Champions League fixture against Inter Milan, with Ales Cermak or Jan Kopic the most likely to come back into the beginning 11.
The three-at-the-back formation used against Inter Milan noticed more success than the four-at-the-back formation when playing Barcelona, so it will be anticipated that the three can be preferable.
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Davies, Upamecano, de Ligt, Pavard; Goretzka, Sabitzer, Sane, Musiala, Mane; Tel
Viktoria Plzen possible starting lineup:
Stanek; Jemelka, Hejda, Pernica; Havel, Cermak, Kalvach, Sykora, Vikanova; Chory, Mosquera
