Atletico vs Bayern Munich – News and Probable Lineups

The pursuit of an elusive Champions League title resumes for Bayern Munich as they head to the Wanda Metropolitano to take on Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Currently, the German heavyweights sit in 14th position in the league standings with five points from three matches, while their Spanish opponents find themselves in 16th place with four points accumulated during the same stretch.

Match overview

Atletico Madrid have managed to recover from a rocky beginning to their season. Despite losing two and drawing one of their first five matches across all competitions, they have responded strongly with nine victories in their last ten encounters, remaining unbeaten.

The home side has achieved six clean sheets during this period, with their latest result being a 2-0 victory over Levante in La Liga last Saturday.

Diego Simeone merits significant acclaim for guiding his team to second place in the Spanish top division, gathering 28 points, just two points shy of league leaders Barcelona after 11 matches.

The Rojiblancos commenced their Champions League journey with a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool on September 9, followed by a 2-0 victory over Manchester United on October 13, and then a 1-1 draw with Stuttgart on October 20.

The fans at Wanda Metropolitano have not witnessed any defeats at home this season, as Atletico has secured five wins and a draw from their six encounters on their own turf thus far.

Opponents have found the net just three times in those six fixtures at Wanda Metropolitano, while Simeone’s side scored 13 goals during that stretch.

Bayern Munich arrives at this fixture after playing out a 2-2 draw against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday in the Bundesliga, a result that leaves them sitting atop the league with 18 points, albeit only ahead of BVB on goal difference.

In their recent European outing, the Bavarians drew 2-2 with Arsenal at Allianz Arena on October 21, following a 3-3 stalemate with Viking FK in their previous Champions League match on October 13.

While it may not be fair to expect Vincent Kompany to deliver a Champions League title for his tenure at the Bundesliga club to be deemed a success, the supporters have grown accustomed to seeing the club dominate the German league.

As they approach Tuesday’s match, it’s worth mentioning that the head coach may not be present on the touchline as he continues recovery after collapsing during a training session in late October.

The two sides last faced each other in December 2020, where they ended the match in a 1-1 draw, although Bayern emerged victorious in their two previous meetings, winning 4-0 and 1-0 respectively.

This season, Bayern’s away form has been inconsistent, as they have not secured victory in three of their last five away fixtures, yet they have managed to prevent losses in that timeframe.

Kompany’s squad has netted 10 goals across these away games, but it would certainly cause concern for the manager that they conceded on seven occasions.

Team News

Atletico Madrid has some concerns regarding midfielders Johnny Cardoso and Koke. Despite both returning to training, Simeone may opt to exercise caution regarding their involvement.

Pablo Barrios and Morten Hjulmand are likely to be relied upon in central midfield, with Julian Alvarez and Kang-In Lee anticipated to lead the attack together.

Bayern Munich will be without winger Luiz Diaz due to a hamstring injury, while Michael Olise’s participation is uncertain after suffering a knee injury against Dortmund.

To compound the challenges, both Serge Ganbry and Ismael Saibari sustained injuries against BVB, which may necessitate the inclusion of Alphonso Davies and Lennark Karl on the wings.

Both goalkeepers Manuel Neuer and Jonas Urbig are also doubts due to injuries, possibly forcing the visitors to field Sven Ulreich in goal.

Atletico Madrid probable starting XI:

Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Grimaldo; Simeone, Barrios, Hjulmand, Baena; Alvarez, Lee

Bayern Munich probable starting XI:

Ulreich; Stanisic, Upamecano, Tah, Laimer; Kimmich, Pavlovic; Karl, Brown, Davies; Kane

It is hard to overlook the injury situation that Bayern Munich is grappling with across multiple areas, particularly concerning their attacking options.

This situation could present Atletico Madrid with a chance to exploit the absence of several attackers for the visitors, and it would not be shocking if they secured a win.