FC Bayern have played 46 games against English teams in European competition and boast a positive record with 18 wins, 16 draws and 12 defeats, scoring 70 goals and conceding 56. Manchester City’s form in 14 meetings with German clubs is less good as the Sky Blues have won five, drawn two and lost seven. And of their last five meetings with Bundesliga teams, City have won only one, last December’s 3-2 victory in Munich.
Déjà-vu for Reds and Blues
Manchester City and Bayern are slowly but surely becoming familiar foes: City have faced Germany’s biggest club in three of their four Champions League campaigns to date and have played FCB in the competition more often than any other club. Of the five matches so far, City have won two and lost three: the teams both won 2-0 at home in 2011/12, and both prevailed away from home last season. FCB won the first meeting this season 1-0.
Kralovec in charge
Pavel Kralovec has been appointed to referee Tuesday’s Group E clash between Manchester City and FC Bayern. It will be the 37-year-old Czech official’s 18th match in Europe’s top club competition, and not his first involving either of the clubs: Kralovec took charge of FCB’s 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal in the Round of 16 return in 2012/13, and he refereed the Sky Blues once in each of the two preceding Champions League seasons.
Pizarro back up and running
Three weeks after sustaining ruptured muscle fibres in his right thigh, Claudio Pizarro was back out on the practice ground on Monday. The veteran striker completed a session of light jogging and stretching, although no date has yet been set for his return to the team training programme.
Must-win for U-19 in Manchester
The FC Bayern U-19s face a do-or-die encounter on Matchday 5 in the UEFA Youth League when Heiko Vogel’s senior youth team face undefeated leaders Manchester City on Tuesday afternoon. The FCB juniors must win to keep alive their slim hopes of a place in the knockout rounds. “We know it’ll be very tough. Manchester are under no pressure and can play without a care in the world. They’re clear favourites,” said Vogel. The English youths won two of the three previous meetings between the teams by 4-1 and 6-0 scorelines. Vogel is also without Gianluca Gaudino, who has been called into the senior squad to cover for the long first-team injury list.
Topics of this article