After a break of three weeks, the Champions League resumes this week. The table toppers, Bayern Munich, will resume the European campaign with a home game against Club Brugge. Die Roten come into the game against the Belgian side on the back of a big win against Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
Bayern have delivered superb performances in the first two game weeks of the Champions League, which also included a win against Chelsea at Allianz Arena. Die Roten are getting better with every passing week, making them the in-form team of Europe.
Meanwhile, Club Brugge are currently in the midtable earning three points from first two games, courtesy of a win and loss. It is going to be a steep mountain to climb on Wednesday for the Belgian side to get a positive result at Allianz Arena.
Team News
Serge Gnabry and Josip Stanisic have failed to recover for the game against Club Brugge. Neither player trained with the squad on Tuesday. It remains to be seen if they will be fit for the away league game against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday.
Raphael Guerreiro recovered in time to be part of the matchday squad against Dortmund on Saturday. He is expected to play a part in Wednesday’s game against Brugge. Alphonso Davies, Hiroki Ito, and Jamal Musiala remain the long-term absentees for Bayern.
Predicted Starting XI
Manuel Neuer will continue in the goal against Club Brugge. The German goalkeeper didn’t keep a clean sheet against Dortmund, but he couldn’t have done anything to avoid that goal. Neuer has been impressive this season, which probably explains Die Roten’s thought process of offering him a new deal.
Kompany could make one change in the back four against Brugge. Jonathan Tah will start alongside Kim Min-jae, giving Upamecano some rest ahead of the weekend’s trip to Gladbach. Konrad Laimer will start in the left-back role, while Sacha Boey will continue to play on the right-hand side of the back four.
Leon Goretzka will return to the starting XI on Wednesday. Aleksandar Pavlovic will make way for the former Schalke midfielder. Goretzka will partner with Joshua Kimmich in the center of the park.
In the attack, the team selection is straightforward for Kompany. Nicolas Jackson will lead the line with Harry Kane playing behind him in the number ten role. Michael Olise is expected to start on the right flank, while Luis Diaz will occupy the left flank.
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Laimer, Kim Min-jae, Tah, Boey; Kimmich, Goretzka; Diaz, Kane, Olise; Jackson
Score Prediction
Bayern Munich 4-0 Club Brugge
Considering Bayern’s performances at Allianz Arena this season, anything but a comfortable home win will be a big surprise. The hosts could blow away Brugge in the first half before managing the game in the second half.