Champions League team news and prediction: Lazio vs Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich kick off the knockout stages of their Champions League defence with a testing trip to Lazio. FC Hollywood have faltered of late, with the club feeling the effects of their Club World Cup success, and Lazio are not to be underestimated.
The Serie A side have won their last seven homes matches as they seek a first leg advantage. In the build up to tonight's game, we provide all the need-to-know info, including when and how to watch the match, latest team news and probable XIs.
When is kick off?
Tuesday 23rd February, 20:00 GMT
Where is the match?
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Where can I watch it?
BT Sport 3
Form Guide
Lazio have lost two of their last five competitive matches, but have a superb home record to call upon ahead of the welcome of Bayern. Simone Inzaghi has masterminded seven successive wins at the Olimpico, including the derby victory over Roma last month. Inzaghi will look to maintain that record and gain a first leg advantage when FC Hollywood visit the Eternal City tonight. Lazio went unbeaten at home in the group stages, winning two of their three matches, and drew all three away games, to finish second to Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern's title defence has hit the rails of late, with fatigue likely to be playing a part. Indeed, Hansi Flick's side drew 3-3 with Arminia Bielefeld and then lost 2-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt and it means they sit just two points clear of RB Leipzig at the top of the Bundesliga table. The indifferent league form has taken some of the shine off of their Club World Cup success earlier this month, but in the Champions League, Bayern were imperious in finishing first, picking up 16 points from the 18 on offer.
Team News
Regular number one Thomas Strakosha hasn't featured as regularly as expected, with COVID-19 and knee issues restricting the 25-year-old to a handful of appearances. Pepe Reina, though, has proven an able deputy between the sticks. Luiz Felipe and Stefan Radu join Strakosha on the sidelines, while Andreas Pereira is a doubt after coming down with a fever that ruled him out of the 1-0 win over Sampdoria. Mateo Musacchio has been added to Lazio's Champions League squad and he should start in Simone Inzaghi's favoured three-man defence.
The injury issues are worse for Hansi Flick, who may yet be unable to call upon Niklas Sule. The German defender has deputised at right-back for Benjamin Pavard of late after the Frenchman, like Thomas Muller, recently testing positive for COVID-19. Bouna Sarr and Joshua Kimmich are options for Flick at right-back if Sule is absent. Serge Gnabry, Douglas Costa, Corentin Tolisso and Alexander Nubel miss the trip to Rome. With a number of absences in the final third, Leon Goretzka could be given the nod to feature in the number 10 role at the expense of Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting, who has featured in the position in the last two Bayern games.
Probable XIs
Lazio (352) - Reina; Patric, Acerbi, Musacchio; Marusic, Milinkovic-Savic, Leiva, Alberto, Fares; Correa, Immobile
Bayern Munich (4231) - Neuer; Sule, Boateng, Hernandez, Davies; Kimmich, Alaba; Sane, Goretzka, Coman; Lewandowski
Key Battle: Ciro Immobile vs Robert Lewandowski
In the race for the Golden Boot in Europe's top five leagues last season, it was Ciro Immobile who pipped Robert Lewandowski to the award. In 2020/21, the latter leads the way and Europe's top league scorers since the start of last season face off in Rome. Lewandowski has scored a whopping 60 league goals since the beginning of the 2019/10 campaign, with Immobile (50) his closest competitor.
Immobile has scored in every Champions League game this season totalling five goals, four of which have come at home, so he'll relish the chance of testing his luck against a Bayern side that has kept a clean sheet in five of their last six games away from the Allianz Arena. Lewandowski may have scored just three times in the Champions League this season, but two of those were away from home and his goal record speaks for itself. This clash of the most prolific forwards on the continent promises to be one to savour.
Score Prediction - Lazio 2-1 Bayern Munich
