Bayern Munich - Man City: Stepping into the "Tiger's Den"

Last week, Man City took full advantage of their home field to win 3-0 against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. The heavy defeat at the Etihad also caused internal strife among the "Gray Tigers" when Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane had a conflict in the tunnel. As a result, Mane punched Sane, causing a swollen lip.

Although the German player took the initiative to make peace, asking the club not to punish his teammate, Bayern still decided to suspend Sane for one match. It seems that Mane's internal suspension has expired, but whether the Senegalese player will return to play against Man City or not is still a big question mark.

Sane and Mane argued on the Etihad pitch and resolved the conflict with fists in the tunnel leaving the pitch (Photo: GI).

After the heavy defeat to Man City, Tuchel bizarrely declared that he had “fallen in love” with his team, but there was no such infatuation from his players. Bayern let their lead slip in a 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga over the weekend. The Bavarians are now just two points ahead of Tuchel’s former club Borussia Dortmund.

So far, the Bavarian board's decision to part ways with Julian Nagelsmann has not been proven right, as Tuchel has won just two of his first five games in charge and Bayern have kept just one clean sheet in their last seven. That's not a good return for a team with such high expectations as Bayern.

The Allianz Arena can give Bayern Munich players great confidence, as it has been more than three years since Bayern Munich failed to score in an official home match. That means the "Gray Tigers" are in good attacking form at home. However, the three-goal gap is still not easy to overcome, in the past only four teams have qualified for the next round of the Champions League knockout round after losing the first leg by three goals or more.

Man City are in great form, especially after the impressive 3-1 victory over Leicester last weekend, the opportunity for Guardiola's team to win the Premier League has become much wider, they are currently only four points behind the top team Arsenal, have played one less match than their opponents and have one more match to face their opponents at Etihad.

Haaland is thriving in Man City's colors in many arenas (Photo: GI).

Guardiola's Blues are in full force. Man City travel to the Allianz Arena on the back of a 10th straight win in all competitions, unbeaten in their last 14 games and having scored at least three goals in each of their last six games.

However, it is worth noting that Man City failed to win any of their away games in the Champions League group stage this season against Dortmund, Copenhagen and RB Leipzig - drawing all three - but a draw at the Allianz Arena would have been more than enough, even if Guardiola were aiming for his 100th Champions League win as a manager.

Regarding the force, apart from Manuel Neuer, Lucas Hernandez, Paul Wanner, Gabriel Marusic with long-term injuries, Bayern did not suffer any additional personnel losses compared to last week's match. They even received good news with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting recovering from injury and being able to compete against Man City.

For the visitors, Guardiola has just one absentee in Phil Foden, who continues to recover from an appendectomy but is expected to return before the end of the month.

Guardiola is aiming for 100 wins in the Champions League (Photo: GI).

Having seen his players "shoot down" Leicester in the first half, Guardiola once again denied Haaland a hat-trick by taking the Norwegian striker off at half-time, while Stones, Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne were also withdrawn early to prepare for the return leg against Bayern.

With 11 Champions League goals this season, Haaland needs another strike tomorrow to equal Ruud van Nistelrooy for the most Champions League goals in a single season by a Premier League player, the Dutchman netting 12 for Man Utd in the 2002/03 season.

With the current form of Haaland and the Man City squad, it is difficult for Bayern Munich to create a miracle at the Allianz Arena.

Expected lineup

Bayern Munich : Sommer; Pavard, Upamecano, De Ligt, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sane, Musiala, Coman; Choupo-Moting

Man City : Ederson; Akanji, Dias, Ake; Stones, Rodri; Silva, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Grealish; Haaland.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/bayern-munich-man-city-tien-buoc-vao-hang-hum-20230419083259073.htm