BAYERN MUNICH take on Barcelona in the Champions League ‘final eight’ event’s true heavyweight quarter-final clash.
The duo are the only two sides remaining in the competition to have previously won it and are set to slug it out on Friday night to determine the last former champion standing.
How Bayern could line up against Barcelona
Thiago could make his final appearance for Bayern MunichCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Despite the European pedigree of both teams, Bayern go into the tie as favourites – with desperate Barcelona set to even change their tried and trusted tiki-taka tactics in order to try and stifle the German champions.
But whatever game plan Quique Setien cooks up, Bayern boss Hansi Flick is unlikely to deviate far from the tried and tested 4-2-3-1 that has served his side so well in the second half of this season.
Given various fitness issues, however, Flick could make one or two tweaks.
Manuel Neuer has enjoyed something of a return to form this season, and will likely have to be at his seemingly impenetrable best to keep out the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
With Benjamin Pavard missing with an ankle injury, the versatile Joshua Kimmich will be deployed at right-back, while 2019-20 breakthrough star Alphonso Davies will provide star quality on the left side of defence.
A series of injuries earlier in the season forced Bayern to experiment with David Alaba as a centre-half – a measure that has proven to be very successful.
Who partners the Austrian at the back, however, is up for debate.
Jerome Boateng has regularly done so in recent months, but the former Manchester City defender was forced off with a minor injury against Chelsea last weekend.
He has trained since, but given how he has been humiliated by Messi in the past, may not be given the nod.
Instead, Niklas Sule could make his first start since rupturing his cruciate ligament back in October – having made his comeback against Chelsea for the final 27 minutes from the bench.
Thiago Alcantara appears likely to leave the Allianz Arena this summer, with Manchester City and Liverpool both having entered the £27million race for his signature this summer.
Lionel Messi bamboozled Jerome Boateng when these two sides met in 2015Credit: AFP – Getty
Niklas Sule could make his first start in ten monthsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
But he will still feature for as long as Bayern remain in the Champions League, and will likely start alongside Leon Goretzka at the heart of midfield.
The fit-again Kingsley Coman could replace Ivan Perisic on the left flank, while Thomas Muller, who provided 21 Bundesliga assists this season, will be preferred to Philippe Coutinho in the middle – with ex-Arsenal star Serge Gnabry on the right.
Bayern legend Lothar Matthaus recently claimed to Bild that Robert Lewandowski is even better than Messi, and the Polish striker will have a chance to stake his claim for the title of world’s best player as he goes head to head with the Argentine genius.
How Robert Lewandowski and Lionel Messi compare this season
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
