Jonas Urbig to start in goal as Bayern tackle Viking’s artificial pitch

Bayern’s first away game of the 2026/27 Champions League takes them to Norway for a Matchday 2 encounter with Viking in Stavanger on Tuesday (kick-off at 21:00 CEST, live coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our text commentary and free web radio). After kicking off the league phase with a 5-0 win over Bodø/Glimt, Vincent Kompany’s men now want to follow that up with another three points against the competition’s other Norwegian club. “We're always excited about the Champions League. We've got another game against a Norwegian team. It's unusual to play two games against Norwegian teams in a single season. We're looking forward to it,” said board member for sport Max Eberl at the airport in Munich. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our preview.

Recap all of Monday’s build-up with travel, training, press conferences and more:

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Bayern returned from the three-week international break with a Bundesliga trip to Augsburg on Saturday. Despite numerous chances and four goals ruled out for offside, they had to settle for a 2-2 draw that prevented them going top of the Bundesliga table. However, Kompany’s men still head to Scandinavia full of confidence. They have won every competitive fixture this season except for the aforementioned Augsburg game and a goalless draw at Schalke. That includes the 5-0 thrashing of fellow Norwegians Bodø/Glimt to begin the league phase at the Allianz Arena.

One big difference for the game in Stavanger will be the playing surface. The Lyse Arena has an artificial pitch, meaning Bayern decided to travel early and train there to get a better feel for it. “I’m not saying it's a different sort of game, but there are things that are different compared to a normal grass pitch. So it makes sense to fly out and train there. We want to win in Stavanger. Period,” Eberl continued. Kompany added, “It’s not a big issue for us. We’ve come early to do the right preparation. Tomorrow is only about football.”

Defender Jonathan Tah also wanted to direct attention to the team’s performance: “We’re focusing only on our potential, our game. We always want that. It doesn’t matter to us who the opposition is. We always want to give 100 percent and will do again tomorrow.” Kompany summarised: “It doesn’t matter what the game brings tomorrow, we need to go into it thinking that anything can happen and we’re prepared for it all.”

Team news

Every player has travelled to Norway except Jamal Musiala as he continues working on his comeback. That includes Konrad Laimer, who missed Saturday’s game after his wife gave birth. However, Jonas Urbig will likely start in goal, with Kompany stating that, “Manuel [Neuer] won’t train today. He’s felt something in his foot. So the question of who will be in goal has probably been answered quickly.”

Try our Matchday Quiz ahead of the game:

Opponent: Viking

Viking will look to rely on their home form as they welcome Bayern, given they haven’t lost at the Lyse Arena since August 2025. Last year they won their first league title since 1991 and qualified for the Champions League through the play-offs this summer thanks to a 3-1 win at home to Dinamo Zagreb after a 2-2 draw in Croatia. Under co-head coaches Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen, Viking opened the league phase with a 3-1 loss away at VfB Stuttgart, but a 2-0 victory away at Brann on Friday kept them top of the domestic league, ahead of rivals Bodø/Glimt, who have the exact same record after 22 games with 53 points, 56 scored goals and 20 conceded. The defending champions are ahead thanks to their 5-0 win in the head-to-head. Peter Christiansen of Denmark is their top scorer in the league with 12 goals. “We’re expecting a tough opponent. They’ll play with confidence. They’re champions and top of the table. They’re really good at set pieces and aren’t a team who hide away,” said Tah of Tuesday’s fixture.

Viking’s form guide:

Why the type of pitch and footwear makes a difference: