Salzburg vs Bayern Munich
UEFA Champions League
Date: Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Kick-off at 20:00 UK/ 21:00 CET
Venue: Red Bull Arena.
Bayern Munich’s quest to reclaim the Champions League resumes on Wednesday as they travel to Red Bull Salzburg for the first leg of their Round-of-16 tie.
Salzburg leads the Austrian Bundesliga by 14 points and finished ahead of Sevilla of Spain and Wolfsburg of Germany in the Champions League group stages.
Bayern Munich leads the Bundesliga by six points, having won Europe’s top club championship six times.
Last season’s Champions League saw the two teams meet twice in the group stages, with Bayern winning 3-1 and 6-2 on both occasions.
Salzburg vs Bayern Munich Head to head :
- The latest encounter had ended in a 3-1 win for the Bavarians.
- They had scored a total of nine goals from the past two clashes.
- They have a 100% winning record against this foe.
- Only once have they lost against any Austrian opponent – back in 1967, against Rapid Wien.
Salzburg vs Bayern Munich Prediction :
Bayern are favorites to win due to their European football pedigree and the fact that they have a very formidable forward line, with Robert Lewandowski flanked by Serge Gnabry, Thomas Muller, and Leroy Sane.
Karim Adeyemi appears to be the most likely goal scorer for Salzburg, but the general consensus is that Bayern, one of the tournament favorites, will be too strong.
Bayern Munich won all six of their Champions League group stage matches, scoring 22 goals and conceding only three times, indicating the severity of the challenge ahead of Salzburg, which finished the group stage with a record of 3W-2L-1D.
Salzburg vs Bayern Munich Team News :
There will be no forward movement in Salzburg. Due to a muscular injury, Benjamin Sesko has been added to the treatment table, joining Zlatko Junuzovic (heel), Albert Vallci (Achilles), Bryan Okoh, Bernardo, Sekou Koita, and Ousmane Diakite (all knee).
Nicolas Capaldo started last Friday’s 2-1 league win over Rapid Wien, but after appearing as a substitute in all five of his Champions League games this season, the Argentine might be replaced by Nicolas Seiwald, who will likely play alongside Mohamed Camara and Luka Sucic in central midfield.
Brenden Aaronson, a USA international, is anticipated to continue in an advanced midfield role behind forwards Karim Adeyemi and Okafor, who have combined for 30 goals in all competitions this season.
Bayern Munich will be without first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for the next three to five weeks following knee surgery earlier this month, thus Sven Ulreich is expected to hold his spot in goal.
Alphonso Davies is recovering from myocarditis, according to Nagelsmann, but the Canadian is still out, as are Leon Goretzka (knee) and Jamal Musiala (COVID-19).
In the defeat to Bochum, the German manager picked an attacking team that comprised Thomas Muller, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, and Leroy Sane; however, one of the latter three might be replaced by Corentin Tolisso, who could start alongside Joshua Kimmich in a deeper midfield role.
Full-backs Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez, as well as centre-backs Niklas Sule and Dayot Upamecano, are expected to keep their spots in the starting XI, while talisman Robert Lewandowski – who has scored 37 goals in just 30 games this season across all competitions, including nine in six Champions League starts – will lead the line up front.
Red Bull Salzburg possible starting lineup:
Kohn; Kristensen, Onguene, Wober, Ulmer; Sucic, Camara, Siewald; Aaronson; Adeyemi, Okafor
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Ulreich; Pavard, Sule, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kimmich, Tolisso; Gnabry, Muller, Sane; Lewandowski
