Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich will be eyeing all three points against Feyenoord as they look to break into the top eight.
With just two games to go in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League, 18th-placed Feyenoord are looking to ensure they secure a spot in the knockout rounds. The Dutch club cannot really afford to drop too many points. But they will be going up against German giants Bayern Munich, who will surely be a force to reckon with.
The home team have accumulated ten points in their league outings. The Eredivisie giants are three points above 25th-placed PSG and three points behind the team in eight. Consecutive wins in the remaining fixtures can completely turn around their fortunes, but their priority will be to ensure they do the bare minimum to make it to the next round.
Meanwhile, the visitors have 12 points in their six outings, and they are just a point behind the team in eighth. Bayern Munich are looking for direct qualification into the round of 16 and surely need to finish on a high to ensure that.
Having won the last three UEFA Champions League games, Vincent Kompany’s men will be confident of getting the job done. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Feyenoord
Feyenoord are expected to be without quite a few first-team players. Ramiz Zerrouki has joined Quinten Timber, Hwang In-beom, Jordan Lotomba, Bart Nieuwkoop, and Chris-Kevin Nadje on the sidelines. While David Hancko missed the last outing because of illness, he should be back in the mix for this one.
The home team will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Timon Wellenreuther will be in goal. Hugo Bueno and Gijs Smal will be the full-backs, while Gernot Trauner will partner with David Hancko in the heart of the defence.
In the centre of the park, Gjivai Zechiel will take up the holding role, while Calvin Stengs and Antoni Milambo will be in his support. The try will look to ensure the Bayern Munich midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.
Anis Hadj-Moussa and Igor Paixao will feature on the flanks providing the much-needed width to their attacks. Meanwhile, the highly rated Santiago Gieénez will spearhead the Feyenoord attack against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Wellenreuther; Bueno, Trauner, Hancko, Smal; Stengs, Zechiel, Milambo; Moussa, Gimenez, Paixao
Bayern Munich
Joao Palhinha and Sacha Boey are both closing in on a return, but Wednesday’s fixture might be a touch too early for them. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich remain without the services of Daniel Peretz and Hiroki Ito.
The visitors will go ahead with the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Manuel Neuer will be in goal. Konrad Laimer and Alphonso Davies should be the full-backs. In the heart of the defence, Dayot Upamecano should partner with Kim Min-jae.
As for the midfield unit, Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka should form the double pivot in the middle of the park. They will look to control the tempo and ensure they have the majority of the ball.
Michael Olise and Leroy Sane should feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Jamal Musiala will reprise the no. 10 role, while Harry Kane should lead the line for Bayern Munich against Feyenoord on Wednesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Laimer, Kim, Upamecano, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Musiala, Sane; Kane
Key Stats
- Bayern Munich and Feyenoord have squared up against each other in the Champions League just twice with the Dutch club yet to win a game.
- Both the meetings came in the 2001/02 season. Feyenoord secured a draw at home but lost at the Allianz Arena.
- The Eredivisie have been the most entertaining team in the Champions League this season as their games have seen more goals than the other 35 teams.
- Bayern Munich are heading into this fixture on the back of five straight wins.
- This is all set to be Harry Kane’s 50th appearance in the UEFA Champions League.
Player to Watch
Harry Kane
The 31-year-old has been on fire since moving to Germany. In the ongoing season, he has 22 goals and 10 assists in his 23 outings. He will be eager to mark his 50th Champions League appearance with a goal. Given the kind of form he has been in, the England skipper could end up being the difference between the two teams.
Prediction
Feyenoord 1-3 Bayern Munich
Feyenoord have not really been at their best this season. While the hosts have done a decent job in the UEFA Champions League and are on track to make it to the next round, they are unlikely to cause too many problems to Bayern Munich who have been slowly getting back to their best. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the away team.