Key Bayern Munich duo doubtful for clash with Lazio – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Bayern Munich will be looking to complete their mission in the Champions League when they lock horns with Lazio on Wednesday night.
The Bavarians utterly outperformed the Italian side in Rome, claiming a comfortable 4-1 triumph to put themselves in firm control of the tie ahead of the return leg.
Given both team’s continuous presence in major European competitions, it may come as some surprise that this is their first UEFA encounter in Munich.
Bayern Munich Preview
Coming into proceedings as overwhelming favourites to advance to the quarter-finals, Bayern will be looking to maintain a 100% win record in home Champions League matches under Hansi Flick.
Since Flick replaced Niko Kovac in the dugout, the Bavarians have netted a staggering average of 3.46 goals per Champions League fixture, scoring 2+ goals in 13 of 15 games in the competition.
The reigning Bundesliga champions have won their last four home Champions League meetings with Italian visitors by an aggregate score of 11-4.
Remarkably, none of the last 21 teams taking on Bayern at the Allianz Arena for the first time in the Champions League have ended up on the winning side (W20, D1).
The hosts can also draw confidence from the fact that no club has ever managed to progress from a Champions League knock-out tie after losing the first leg at home by at least three goals.
Lazio Preview
Lazio go into this encounter having won just one of their last 15 away games in the Champions League (D5, L9), with each of their three road fixtures in the competition this season yielding the identical 1-1 scoreline.
Slow-starting Biancocelesti had to chase their hosts in two of their three away matches in the competition’s group stage this term.
Interestingly, a 4-1 first-leg reverse tipped the H2H scales in favour of German clubs, with Lazio now lost seven of their 17 UEFA European clashes against Bundesliga opponents (W6, D4).
Additionally, the abovementioned defeat also saw Simone Inzaghi’s men become the first team in the Champions League history to play out 12 successive games featuring both sides on the scoresheet.
The visitors have to score at least four times to at least stand a chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals, something they last managed to do in the Champions League in 1999.
Team News
Bayern Munich
Out: Corentin Tolisso, Douglas Costa.
Doubts: David Alaba, Manuel Neuer.
Lazio
Out: Manuel Lazzari, Luiz Felipe.
Doubts: N/A
Predicted Line-ups
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1): Alexander Nuebel; Benjamin Pavard, Jerome Boateng, Niklas Sule, Alphonso Davies; Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich; Serge Gnabry, Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane; Robert Lewandowski.
Lazio (3-5-2): Pepe Reina; Patric, Francesco Acerbi, Wesley Hoedt; Adam Marusic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Lucas Leiva, Luis Alberto, Senad Lulic; Joaquin Correa, Ciro Immobile.