Preview: Bayern Munich vs. Atalanta BC - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to record one of the great Champions League comebacks, Atalanta BC travel to Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on Wednesday for their last-16 second-leg fixture.

The Bavarians dismantled the Bergamaschi 6-1 last week, equalling their heaviest defeat in Europe, and the Italians now seek to restore some pride in the reverse fixture in Munich.

Match preview

Bayern were always favourites to advance from their last-16 tie against Atalanta, but even Vincent Kompany can hardly have imagined his side would be in this position, especially with Harry Kane handed a rare rest.

Rather than being less potent with Nicolas Jackson leading the line, the Bavarians were free-scoring, netting six in Bergamo.

Michael Olise struck twice and provided one assist in the eventual 6-1 rout, while Jackson and Serge Gnabry both scored and set up one apiece.

The upshot of that annihilation of their Italian opponents is that Kompany’s men would require a collapse of previously unforeseen proportions to throw away their heavy advantage in Munich.

The former centre-back may even opt to give Kane another breather on Wednesday, even if it means handing Jackson another start after his senseless sending-off at the weekend away to Bayer Leverkusen.

With Bayern already trailing 1-0 at the BayArena, the Chelsea loanee received a straight red card for dangerous play before the break, leaving his team-mates in the lurch heading into the interval.

While they ultimately levelled through Luis Diaz — before the forward’s own dismissal saw Bayern reduced to nine men — it will be interesting to see if both Jackson and Diaz face in-house disciplinary action for their misdemeanours.

That decision is unlikely to affect the Bavarians’ 100% European record at the Allianz Arena this season, with the team taking to the field on Wednesday aware of the historical precedent: they have progressed in 28 of their last 29 two-legged ties after winning the first leg away from home.

Atalanta know they must overcome significant hurdles to complete one of the most unforeseen Champions League fightbacks in the competition’s history.

Last week’s 6-1 thrashing by their German opponents was La Dea’s joint-heaviest margin of defeat in Europe, equalling the 5-0 group-stage loss they suffered against Liverpool in 2020-21.

However, conceding six was a new low for the Bergamaschi on the continent, though Raffaele Palladino’s men showed some fight in holding title favourites Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw in Serie A.

Their league encounter seemed to be descending into further ignominy when Francesco Pio Esposito put the league leaders 1-0 up before the half-hour mark at San Siro, but La Dea dug in, avoided conceding again and found the leveller through Nikola Krstovic with eight minutes of normal time remaining.

While that draw prevented Palladino’s men from tumbling to consecutive defeats for the first time since November, Atalanta have dropped seven points behind high-flying Como in the race for a top-four finish and a return to next season’s Champions League.

Now without a victory since their resounding 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund last month, La Dea travel to Bavaria without a win in five matches and are left wondering just how deep they could sink at the Allianz.

Bayern Munich Champions League form:

Bayern Munich form (all competitions):

Atalanta BC Champions League form:

Atalanta BC form (all competitions):

Team News

Bayern have a goalkeeping crisis heading into Wednesday, with Manuel Neuer and Sven Ulreich absent, while Jonas Urbig’s participation is uncertain, meaning 16-year-old Leonard Prescott could make his Bayern debut.

Although Jamal Musiala’s condition will be assessed, also missing in the reverse fixture are Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito due to injury, while last week’s hero Olise and Joshua Kimmich will serve one-match bans after accumulating yellow cards.

While Kane is two goals away from becoming the first Englishman to score 50 Champions League goals, Kompany could start the team’s leading marksman on the bench for the third game running to keep him fresh for sterner assignments, paving the way for another start for Jackson.

Also possibly involved from the off is teenage sensation Lennart Karl, who could start for the sixth time in this season’s Champions League with Olise suspended.

As for Atalanta, the visitors do not have significant injuries, with Giacomo Raspadori the only enforced absentee due to a thigh issue, while Yunus Musah is suspended after his booking in last week’s reverse fixture.

The Italian side have shared the goals around in Europe this term, with Mario Pasalic, Lazar Samardzic and Gianluca Scamacca all finding the back of the net three times.

Charles De Ketelaere, though, leads the way for total goal contributions, with the Belgian scoring twice and providing two assists in seven European appearances, six of which have been starts.

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:

Prescott; Stanisic, Upamecano, Tah, Laimer; Goretzka, Pavlovic; Karl, Gnabry, Diaz; Jackson

Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:

Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Zappacosta, De Roon, Pasalic, Bernasconi; De Ketelaere, Zalewski; Krstovic

We say: Bayern Munich 3-1 Atalanta BC (Bayern win 9-2 on aggregate)

While Atalanta will look to exploit Bayern’s makeshift backline and inexperienced goalkeeper, the Bavarians still possess more than enough firepower to comfortably outscore whatever the Italians can muster at the other end.

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