After a pair of difficult away games at Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, Bayern are finally back at the Allianz Arena in the Champions League as Sporting Lisbon come to Munich on Tuesday (kick-off at 18:45 CET, live coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our text commentary and free web radio). Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 6 encounter as Bayern look to tighten their grip on a top-eight spot in the league phase.
Recap all the build-up to the game here:
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Bayern know a positive result against their Portuguese visitors should at the very least assure them of a place in the play-offs for the Champions League knockout rounds. A win, however, would vastly increase the chances of finishing in the top eight and securing a place straight in the round of 16. There are two games to go after this in January, at home to Union Saint-Gilloise and then away at PSV Eindhoven. Bayern begin the week with 12 points in third place, trailing only PSG on goal difference and leaders Arsenal (15 points). The advantage over both Sporting in eighth and Manchester City in ninth – below the cutoff for automatic qualification – is just two points.
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“We have an important game on Tuesday. If we win, it gets us really close to a top-eight finish. That’s our goal,” said Harry Kane after his hat-trick in Saturday's 5-0 victory at VfB Stuttgart. Bayern now want to take that momentum into their final European home game of the year. The Reds are unbeaten in their last 36 group stage/league phase fixtures at the Allianz Arena (W34, D2). “They’re technically very good and have a lot of talent. It’s the Champions League. We want to perform at our maximum. Sporting have quality,” head coach Vincent Kompany added at Monday’s pre-match press conference.
Opponent: Sporting Lisbon
The reigning champions of Portugal have made a very good start to their Champions League campaign, winning all three games at home against Kairat (4-1), Marseille (2-1) and Club Brugge (3-0). It’s on their travels that Rui Borges’ team have had their issues, failing to win their two away fixtures in Italy at Napoli (2-1 loss) and Juventus (1-1 draw). The Lisbon club are two-time defending champions and have quickly made up for the departures of coach Rúben Amorim to Manchester United and striker Viktor Gyökeres to Arsenal.
We spoke to Eric Dier about his two former clubs:
Sporting’s recent four-game winning run in their domestic league was ended at the weekend by a 1-1 draw away at arch-rivals Benfica. It leaves the Lions second in the table, five points behind leaders Porto but three ahead of Benfica. Borges’ team usually play in a 4-2-3-1 formation, including a centre-back duo of Gonçalo Inácio and Ousmane Diomande that was praised by Eric Dier this week ahead of goalkeeper Rui Silva. Danish captain Morten Hjulmand is the beating heart of the team in central midfield. There is plenty of flexibility and goals up front as well.
Team news
Luis Díaz serves the second and final game of his Champions League suspension after his ban for a red card against PSG was reduced by one match on appeal. Jamal Musiala is also still sidelined as he recovers from his broken leg and ankle.
However, Alphonso Davies is on the verge of his return from a cruciate ligament injury. “There’s a chance he’ll be in the squad tomorrow. I don’t think he’ll get any minutes, though. Anything before Christmas is a bonus for him, but there’s still a chance he plays this week,” Kompany said of the Canadian.
Sporting arrive in Munich without three key players, with Pedro Gonçalves, Francisco Trincão and Geovany Quenda all missing out. Coach Borges has also said that Inácio and Geny Catamo are doubts. Daniel Bragança is back in training after his own cruciate ligament injury, but neither he nor Zeno Debast (knee) will feature.
Read up on the pre-match facts:
What the coaches say
Vincent Kompany (Bayern)
Rui Borges (Sporting Lisbon)
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