Bayern Munchen vs Manchester City
Competition: UEFA Champions League
Match date: 17 September 2014
Kick Off Time: 19:45 BST
Venue: Allianz-Arena, Munchen
Seven players of Bayern Munich became world champions with Germany this summer. Toni Kroos left to Real Madrid afterwards, the others do not seem fully fit and motivated currently, why coach Pep Guardiola tried several new players and different formations. It is hard to know which team will start on Wednesday. 26-million Euro signing Mehdi Benatia will probably play in defensive midfield on the side of Xabi Alonso as Schweinsteiger, Thiago and Javier Martinez are injured. It is not sure, if Arjen Robben will be able to play, at least Franck Ribery returned from injury last week and already scored a goal when Bayern beat Stuttgart 2:0 on Saturday in Bundesliga. In this match central defender Holger Badstuber got injured, he will most probably miss the encounter on Wednesday. The FCB won two of the three games in Bundesliga this season but never looked totally convincing.
Club owner Sheikh Mansour invested endless money into Man City the recent years, so the ‘Citizens’ won the English Premier League twice within the last three years but in Champions League they did not survive the group stage three and two years ago, got knocked out in the Round of 16 last season. Due to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play they could not invest as much money as usual this summer, Eliaquim Mangala (40 million) and Fernando (15 million, both from Porto) were the only two considerable signings. However, the squad is of outstanding quality anyway, especially up front, where they have class players like Yaya Touré, David Silva, Samir Nasri, Edin Dzeko or Kun Agüero. In the back Mangala might replace the former Bayern defender Demichelis who seemed a bit insecure recently. Manchester City drew 2:2 at Arsenal on Saturday and will face Chelsea in the Premier League next Sunday.
Probable lineups:
Bayern Munich: Neuer – Lahm, Boateng, Dante, J. Bernat – Xabi Alonso, Alaba – T. Muller, M. Gotze, Ribery – Lewandowski.
Manchester City: Hart – Sagna, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov – Fernandinho, Yaya Toure – Navas, Nasri, Silva – Aguero (Dzeko).
