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Prediction: Bayern Munich to win 3-1
Best Odds: 79/10
Bayern Munich and Benfica will lock horns with each other in the UEFA Champions League this week. The League Stage game between the Bundesliga club and the Portuguese Primeira Liga team will be held at the Allianz Arena in Munich and is scheduled to kick off at 8 pm UK time on Wednesday.
Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich are one of the biggest clubs in the world and have one of the strongest teams in Europe. After a disappointing 2023-24 campaign, the Bavarian giants are determined to win the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League this season.
Under manager Vincent Kompany, Bayern are relatively well at the moment. The Bavarian giants are at the top of the Bundesliga table right now with 23 points from nine matches, three points ahead of second-placed RB Leipzig. Bayern, though, need to step up their game in Europe. They have won just one of their three UEFA Champions League games so far this season.
Bayern will head into the UEFA Champions League match against Benfica at the Allianz Arena in Munich on the back of a 3-0 victory over 1. FC Union Berlin at home in the Bundesliga. It came after a 4-0 hammering of Mainz on the road in the German Cup, which followed a 5-0 demolition of VfL Bochum away from home in the Bundesliga.
Team News:
Ito (foot), Pavlović (collarbone) and Stanišić (knee) are out for Benfica. Boey (knee) is a doubt. Bayern are likely to have Neuer (c) in goal. Guerreiro, Upamecano, Kim and Davies will be the four defenders. Kimmich and Palhinha will play in holding midfield. Olise, Musiala and Gnabry will be deployed in attacking midfield. Kane will lead the line for Bayern.
Benfica
Benfica are one of the biggest clubs in Portuguese and are used to playing in the UEFA Champions League on a regular basis. The Eagles finished second in the Portuguese Primeira Liga table last season and are aiming to become the champions of Portugal this time around.
Bruno Lage’s side are doing relatively well in the UEFA Champions League at the moment. Benfica are 13th in the table in the League Stage right now with six points from three matches, a point behind eight-placed and Portuguese rivals Sporting Lisbon.
Benfica will head into the UEFA Champions League match against Bayern at the Allianz Arena on the back of a 2-1 victory over SC Farense away from home in the Portuguese Primeira Liga. It came after a 6-0 victory over Rio Ave on the road in the league which followed a 3-1 loss to Feyenoord at Estádio da Luz in the UEFA Champions League.
Team News:
Barreiro (hamstring), Gouveia (shoulder) and Prestianni (ankle) are out for Benfica. Trubin will be in goal for the Portuguese club. Bah, Araújo, Otamendi (c) and Carreras will be the four defenders. Aursnes, Luís and Kökçü will be in midfield. Di María, Pavlidis and Aktürkoğlu will be the three forwards.
Key Factors to Consider
- Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane’s 17 goal contributions in the UEFA Champions League since the start of 2023-24 are the most of any player.
- Renato Sanches made 53 appearances for Bayern Munich after signing from Benfica in 2016, winning two Bundesliga titles.
- Jan-Niklas Beste, now at Benfica, finished joint-second in the Bundesliga for assists last season with 11 for Heidenheim, also scoring eight goals as they qualified for the UEFA Conference League.
- Bayern Munich have played 12 European matches against Benfica and have never lost (W9, D3).
- The record for fixtures in Munich is six wins from six for Bayern by an aggregate score of 24-6.
Conclusion
Both Bayern Munich and Benfica have good teams, but the German club are stronger and are also at home. It is very likely that Vincent Kompany’s side will register a win in this particular UEFA Champions League game in Munich.
Prediction: Bayern Munich to win 3-1
Best Odds: 79/10