Bayern ready for first meeting with Atalanta in Champions League last 16

Bayern head to Italy as they enter the knockout stages of the Champions League to take on Atalanta in Tuesday’s round of 16 first leg (kick-off at 21:00 CET, live coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our text commentary and free web radio). It’s the first time ever the Bavarians will face the team from Bergamo. “We’re the favourites but won’t underestimate our opponent,” said board member for sport Max Eberl as the Bundesliga leaders face the team sitting seventh in Serie A. “Getting through over two legs is absolutely possible. But we need to lay the foundation in Bergamo,” he added.

“Atalanta can beat anyone; have beaten Juventus 3-0, are in the semi-finals of the cup. They can achieve a lot. We might be seen as favourites and we want to win as well,” added Vincent Kompany at his pre-match press conference. The second leg at the Allianz Arena is next Wednesday. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the first game in Italy in our preview.

Recap all the build-up to the game here:

Latest news from Bayern

Bayern have had a break from the Champions League of late. Finishing second in the league phase allowed them to skip the play-offs and advance straight to the round of 16. Atalanta had to come through that extra round, overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit to Borussia Dortmund to progress thanks to a late penalty in a 4-1 home win. “We saw the fans against Dortmund. It looked like Dortmund were through after the first leg. BVB dominated in Dortmund, but the game in Bergamo was completely different,” Kompany explained. Eberl is also aware of the dangers lurking in Italy: “It was a warning. Atalanta knocked out Dortmund over two legs. We know how tough it is against Dortmund.” Bayern, though, have beaten Borussia twice this season, including a 3-2 victory there just a few weeks ago.

“We're playing against a physically strong team. There are similarities to our game in Dortmund, playing with a back three in possession and looking for runs in behind. But the way Atalanta press has been impressive for several years. That's been a big part of their success. They've got experience in Europe, claimed a convincing win over an impressive Leverkusen side. They're no easy opponent. Nobody should underestimate them,” Kompany said in analysis of the opposition.

An Italian Bayern fan explains what to expect in Bergamo:

Bayern hold an 11-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga table, meaning they have room to focus efforts on the other competitions in the Champions League and DFB Cup. Kompany made seven changes to his team for Friday’s 4-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, affording top scorer Harry Kane a break as he recovered from a knock to his calf.

“The coach hasn't prepared us any differently,” said Josip Stanišić at the press conference. “We know what to expect. I also know it from personal experience. Not much has changed there. Atalanta play man-to-man and give their all from the first minute. We'll fight against that. We know we've been giving our all in training and playing man-to-man in training for a year and a half.”

Read up on the facts ahead of the game:

Opponent: Atalanta

You might still think of Atalanta as a surprise package or unknown quantity, but that’s definitely no longer the case. La Dea are most certainly among Europe’s top teams after they won only the second major honour in their history with the 2024 Europa League, beating a Bayer Leverkusen team that was on a 51-game unbeaten run. This season alone they have claimed victories over the likes of Liverpool (3-0) and Dortmund (4-1). “They show aggression from the first second. They never hide away. They give 100 percent in every tackle. They also have good individuals who aren't just about the fight. It's now down to us to show what we've worked on,” Stanišić continued. Atalanta boss Raffaele Palladino believes that this game against Bayern is about enjoyment for his club and the entire city. “Tomorrow will be a magical and wonderful night that we want to enjoy. It's a dream to be in the last 16 and play against a team as good as Bayern - probably one of the best in the world and arguably the form team across Europe's top five leagues,” the 41-year-old stated.

However, Tuesday’s hosts are aware of their opportunity. They have beaten big teams in recent years. “Dreams are meant to be lived. We want to live it with open eyes. We want to test ourselves, be competitive and cause Bayern problems. They're a team with lots of very good individual players. In our stadium we can and want to repeat out performance from against Dortmund,” continued the coach who took over in November. “Bayern have very few weaknesses. It'll be a game where we have to focus on the details. We need to be ourselves and remain the team that we've always been in the Champions League and our domestic league. We can't let our tempo drop and need to increase our intensity. That's our strength and our DNA.”

They may be riding high in Europe this season, but it’s been a more difficult campaign on the domestic front. Saturday’s draw to Udinese leaves them in seventh place and at risk of missing out on continental qualification. However, a 2-2 draw at Lazio in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-finals, in which they twice came from behind, shows what this disciplined team, who press with a similar vigour to Bayern, can do. “It’s a bit like Mission Impossible, but games like these are great to play. The difficulty level is really high. It’ll be a big task. We want to test ourselves and enjoy it. I think the guys are very focused but also calm. I’ve enjoyed the players’ attitude,” Paladino concluded.

Get the lowdown on Atalanta:

Team news

The biggest news for Bayern heading to Italy is that Kane should be available again. “Harry had a good training session, but we want to wait and see tomorrow morning how he's come through it. It's important for us he's here and can play a role tomorrow,” Kompany explained. However, captain Manuel Neuer is out after his calf issue against Gladbach and will again be replaced by Jonas Urbig. Alphonso Davies has recovered from his muscular injury, but it’s still too soon to play 90 minutes. Hiroki Ito has remained in Munich as he recovers from own thigh issue.

Palladino is missing players in attack in particular, such as winter signing Giacomo Raspadori with a torn muscle. Charles de Ketelaere is out with a knee problem, alongside Ederson and Giorgio Scalvini. “But I’m used to it. I can’t complain and won’t look at who’s out but who’s fit,” the coach insisted.

What the coaches say