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It’s all set for a magical European night at the Allianz Arena! FC Bayern host Atalanta in the Champions League round of 16 second leg on Wednesday night (live text and free Web Radio commentary on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app from 21:00 CET). After the thumping 6-1 victory in the first leg in Lombardy last week, the Munich men go into the return match in a very comfortable position – yet Vincent Kompany is demanding full concentration from his side. After all, Atalanta have caused shocks in Europe before. Our preview has all the info on the meeting.
Final training, press conference & more – all the updates from the day before the second leg:
Latest news from Bayern
With eight wins from nine Champions League matches and a total of 28 goals scored (3.1 per game on average), Bayern have been in top form this season. The 6-1 win in Bergamo was not just a statement victory, but also the heaviest defeat suffered by an Italian team in the knockout rounds of Europe’s premier club competition. Two of the six goals were scored after moves involving at least 10 passes – the first time the Munich men have done that since the famous quarter-final against Barcelona in 2020. Nevertheless, Kompany is urging concentration. “It's difficult to gauge how they'll approach it,” said the Belgian in Tuesday’s press conference. “Only the opposition coach can answer that. After our match they had a very tough game at Inter and got a very good result. They were solid and dangerous, and uncomfortable for Inter. It was less typical of them against us - they're not a team who concede a lot of goals. We'll be prepared for everything.”
In the Bundesliga, Bayern may have ‘only’ managed a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen last time out, but they did finish the match with just nine men on the field, as well as having two goals disallowed. Kompany was proud of his team’s performance despite the points being shared.
FC Bayern face the possibility of using four goalkeepers in one season for only the third time in the club’s history:
Opponents: Atalanta
Atalanta have a mountain to climb after the first leg, but they’ve caused plenty of surprises on the European stage before. La Dea have lost just two of their seven away outings in Germany – both against Borussia Dortmund. However, it was BVB who the Italians knocked out in the recent play-off round, winning 4-1 in the second leg to overturn a two-goal deficit. They also beat Leverkusen in the 2024 Europa League final in Dublin to end the Werkself’s unbeaten run of 51 matches. Still, the Champions League is something else, as Tom Bischof described in the press conference. “The pace, the quality – it's like comparing training at FC Bayern to my time at Hoffenheim,” said the midfielder. “You have to be a bit quicker. Playing in the Champions League and going up against the best on the pitch was my dream. The anthem is a bit cooler too."
The visitors have only scored four goals away from home in this Champions League campaign, fewer than any other team in the last 16. Top scorer Ademola Lookman, who was involved in two of those goals, has since moved to Atlético Madrid. However, Atalanta remain dangerous opponents who never give up and throw themselves into every challenge. Their showing in the league at the weekend was evidence of that, as the Bergamo outfit bounced back from the 6-1 defeat to earn a 1-1 draw at Serie A leaders Inter Milan. “They immediately pushed away all the negative feelings that could still have been there after that game,” praised coach Raffaele Palladino.
The pre-match facts:
Team news
Bayern can count on a strong and in-form attack. Harry Kane, who was rested for 90 minutes in the first leg and only came on after an hour in Leverkusen, should be fit again. The goal-getter has hit 18 goals in 17 Champions League home games for FCB and finds the net every 81 minutes on average at the Allianz Arena – a figure that only Erling Haaland and Cristiano Ronaldo can better at one venue in the competition’s history. Meanwhile, Luis Díaz equalled a club record with eight successful dribbles in the first leg. Kompany is without Joshua Kimmich and Michael Olise, though, after they were booked in the first leg. Goalkeepers Manuel Neuer, Sven Ulreich and Leon Klanac are ruled out by injury, but Jonas Urbig is expected to recover in time from the concussion he sustained in the first leg. “If everything goes as expected, Urbig will start in goal. And if not, we'll find another solution.”
Defender Alphonso Davies and playmaker Jamal Musiala remain sidelined, but Hiroki Ito could return to the squad. “A second leg is always harder; especially as a coach, you realise how important it is to maintain the focus,” concluded Kompany at the press conference.
For Atalanta, coach Palladino welcomes back Charles de Ketelaere, who made his comeback off the bench against Inter. Yunus Musah and Giorgio Scalvini are both suspended, while forward Giacomo Raspadori is doubtful with a muscle strain. Brazilian Èderson also returned against Inter, playing over half an hour. “We expect Atalanta to give it everything and want to progress,” added Bischof. “They'll attack down the wings, where they have fast players. But for us nothing changes, we want to win.”
What the coaches say
The first leg is in the past. This is a club that never want to lose. And the best guarantee for a good performance is being sure that the players know that. It's much better to go into the international break with two wins. And we're ready to sacrifice to achieve that.
Vincent Kompany (FC Bayern)
We've got this far because of our mentality, and we're not going to change that. We're not going to defend zonally, we'll accept the result and we'll either win or learn from it.
Raffaele Palladino (Atalanta)
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