FC Bayern start the third competition of the season on Wednesday and therefore begin the third title defence of the current campaign. The German record champions entertain Atletico Madrid in their opening fixture of the Champions League. Both teams have lots of experience in Europe’s premier club competition, with Bayern featuring 25 times and the Spaniards competing for the 12th time. We bring you more interesting facts and figures ahead of matchday one in the group stage.
1. AC Milan in sight
FC Bayern won the European Cup/Champions League for the sixth time in August and are now third in the list of all-time winners, level with Liverpool. Winning again would put FCB level with AC Milan in second place.
2. Lewandowski heading for new records
The UEFA Men’s Player of the Year has scored nine times in succession in the Champions League group stage. If Robert Lewandowski scores again this time then he would be the first player to find the back of the net ten times on the bounce. With his nine goals in succession he is level with Cristiano Ronaldo.
3. Starred chef Serge Gnabry
Serge Gnabry was directly involved in 11 goals in ten Champions League games last season (nine goals and two assists). Only teammate Lewandowski was involved in more (15 goals, five assists).
4. Possible record-breaking run of wins
Last season, FCB became the first team in the history of Europe’s premier club competition to win all their games on the way to securing the title (11 wins). That means Bayern are also the team with the longest winning run in this competition. The victory in the UEFA Super Cup makes it 12 wins in a row on the European stage - that’s a club record. Only one team has a longer run: opponents Atletico Madrid, who registered 16 straight wins in the Europa League and UEFA Super Cup from 2011 to 2012.
5. Positive overall record
FCB and Atletico Madrid meet for the second time in the group stage of the Champions League. In 2016/17 both teams won their home game 1-0 as both went through to the next round. This will be the seventh meeting on the European stage and Bayern just have their noses in front overall with three wins, one draw and two defeats (eight goals for and four against). The home team has always won on their own turf in this tie. The only draw came in the 1974 European Cup final in Brussels.
6. Viva España
Bayern have played Spanish teams 14 times in the Champions League group stage (eight wins, three draws, three defeats). The last defeat was against Atletico in 2016/17. FCB have not dropped a point at home since 2002, in a 3-2 reverse against Deportivo La Coruna.
7. Atletico with problems away
The Madrid side have only won two of their last ten away games in the group stages of the Champions League (plus four defeats and four draws). There has only been one victory in the last five games (one draw, three defeats) – a 2-0 scoreline against Lokomotiv Moscow in October 2019.
Here is the lowdown on Atletico Madrid
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