Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the pre-season friendly meeting between Bayern Munich and Manchester City at the Allianz Arena. Just two months after bringing an end to his relatively successful three-year stint at Bayern, Pep Guardiola takes new side City to Bavaria for his first official game in charge of the Citizens.

I use the word "relatively" to precede successful due to those who suggest that Guardiola pretty much achieved what was asked of him at Bayern and nothing more. That is open to debate, of course, but there is no denying that the Spaniard arrives at City amid much fanfare - not just from supporters of his new side but also from neutrals who are intrigued to see how he gets on in his toughest job to date.

Guardiola has just a few weeks remaining to get his players fully up to speed, with this the Citizens' first friendly of the summer. These matches may well be billed as friendlies, but next up for City is a meeting with rivals Manchester United in Beijing next Monday. Talk about being chucked in at the deep end for the Spaniard, who may be without a number of his star players this evening.

Kevin de Bruyne, Bacary Sagna and Eliaquim Mangala are all expected to be absent for tonight's game due to their Euro 2016 commitments - De Bruyne making it to the last eight with Belgium; Sagna and Mangala all the way to the final with France - but other Euros and Copa America stars could play some part. Joe Hart and Raheem Sterling have both travelled to Bavaria, while Sergio Aguero is also in the squad for the upcoming tour of the Far East.

It is a similar story for home manager Carlo Ancelotti, who is likely to be without his German contingent of Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer and Mats Hummels. But Philip Lahm, Xabi Alonso and Franck Ribery could feature across the 90 minutes at the Allianz Arena. Pre-season is all about getting players up to full speed, of course, though in a campaign following a couple of major tournaments, that can often be easier said than done.

Still no sign of the official team news from the Allianz Arena just yet, so before checking out how the two sides line up this evening let us first focus out attention towards the man under the spotlight this evening - Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard really did win it all during his time at Barcelona, taking over a behemoth of a club and somehow making them even better before departing. Then came a three-year stint in Bavaria, which came to an end in May, leading to a raft of further domestic trophies to add to the cabinet.

The Champions League trophy - the one that Guardiola wanted more than any other - evaded the Spaniard during his time at the Allianz Arena, though, putting a blot on his copybook so the speak. Unlike at previous clubs Barcelona and Bayern, winning the domestic league will not be expected of Guardiola in quite the same manner. That is not to say he has a free pass, but rather time will be given to get things right in this time of evolution at the Etihad Stadium.

An emotional Guardiola brought his three years at Bayern Munich to an end in May with a penalty shootout victory over Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup final. Quite some way to bow out on the face of it, yet a failure to progress into the final of the Champions League - let alone win it - means that he heads to Manchester City with a point to prove to many.

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TEAM NEWS!

BAYERN MUNICH XI: Ulreich; Rafinha, Martinez, Alaba, Bernat, Alonso, Lahm, Feldhahn, Benko, Green, Ribery

MANCHESTER CITY XI: Caballero, Maffeo, Adarabioyo, Kolarov, Angelino, Fernando, Fernandinho, Zinchenko, Barker, Iheanacho, Navas

What to make of Guardiola's first starting lineup as Man City manager, then? Well, he has decided - as expected - to go with Willy Caballero in goal due to Joe Hart's exertions with England at Euro 2016. We could still see the England international at some stage, but this is a big occasion for Caballero as the Citizens are widely expected to bring in a new number two in the coming days - thus meaning a battle for a place among the matchday squad.

The defensive line is made up largely of youth players, plus the experienced head of Aleksandar Kolarov who will be expected to marshal that backline into shape during the opening 45 minutes (assuming that a mass of changes are made at the interval, that is). Midfield is far more experienced, however, as both Fernandinho and Fernando are included from the off, as is Jesus Navas in a more attacking role. Kelechi Iheanacho can no longer be classed as a young player, meanwhile, following an impressive breakthrough campaign last time out under Manuel Pellegrini.

Man City have also gone with a largely inexperienced side, although there is still some quality scattered around the starting XI. Franck Ribery has another big season ahead; one in which he will hope ends with him injury-free throughout. Philip Lahm, now retired from international football, is also included in what is likely to be a defensive midfield position - never easy to tell with a player as versatile as the ex-Germany international.

Xabi Alonso is another who will start from the off for Die Rotten in this tasty friendly match, but there is no place for the likes of Muller, Neuer and Hummels who are afforded just a little longer rest time. Ancelotti will not be able to call upon Arjen Robben for the next six weeks, meanwhile, as the Dutchman has picked up another injury that will see him miss the start of the Bundesliga season - a real blow for the Bavarian giants.

It is worth pointing out that this will be Ancelotti's second game in charge of Bayern, following the 4-3 win over Lippstadt earlier this week. The experienced Italian boss - an ideal man to replace Guardiola, you have to say - then picks a side for a low-key meeting with Landschut on Saturday before getting Bayern's International Champions Cup campaign underway. That will see Die Rotten face AC Milan, Inter Milan and Real Madrid - all in preparation for the opening Bundesliga fixture of the season against Werder Bremen in a little over a month's time.

Ancelotti revealed earlier this week that his transfer business is actually done and dusted for the season, having added two new senior faces to his ranks. Mats Hummels joined from Borussia Dortmund, while Renato Sanches - a star of the European Championships in France - put pen to paper on a long-term deal prior to impressing for Portugal. Some smart business by the Italian, who has also done well to keep hold the nucleus of this successful side in the post-Guardiola era.

This Man City side contains plenty of young and inexperienced faces this evening, but Kelechi Iheanacho - who starts up front - can no longer be classed as an up-and-coming talent. The Nigeria international is very much here and now, having set the Premier League alight last season when given his chance to shine. Fernando, Fernandinho and Kolarov are also included from the off, in what is Guardiola's first game in charge of the Citizens.

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DID YOU KNOW? In all during his time at Barcelona, Pep Guardiola won three La Liga titles, succeeded twice in the Copa del Rey, three times in the Spanish Super Cup, twice in the Champions League, once in the European Super Cup and twice in the Club World Cup. It was a similar story during his time at Bayern, minus the European success, where he won two Bundesliga titles, two German Cup crowns, one Super Cup and also the Club World Cup in his maiden season.

So while Ancelotti may be finished with his transfer business for the summer, Guardiola is still very much in the full swing of things. The Spaniard's transfer dealings to date have been impressive enough - Ilkay Gundogan joining in a £21m deal from Borussia Dortmund, Nolito snapped up from Celta Vigo in a reported £14m move and Oleksandr Zincheko lured for an undisclosed fee. The latter of that trip was expected to go straight out on loan, but an impressive enough showing at the Euros could see him remain on the fringes of the first-team squad.

If press reports are to be believes, then City will have John Stones and Riyad Mahrez in their ranks before they play their next friendly fixture. Leroy Sane is also reportedly close to joining from Schalke 04, but you feel that the Citizens are still in desperate need for another centre-back even if Stones does opt to join. Could Leonardo Bonucci be next on the list from Juventus? This Guardiola revolution is likely to go on right until the day the transfer window closes.

City ended last season fourth in the Premier League under Guardiola - a real disappointment in a season that faded away after their Champions League exit in the closing weeks of the season. The gap on winners Leicester City was actually 15 points, while they only finished level with rivals Man United - bettering them on goal difference to ensure that a place in European football's primary competition would be on the cards for this coming campaign.

While Guardiola may be under less pressure to win the title than what he experienced at Barcelona and Bayern, winning silverware is exactly what he was brought to the club to do - both domestically and in Europe. A three-year stint is expected, even if City chiefs are quietly hopeful of pinning his down by another year or two, so this debut campaign in English football really will be massive for the Spaniard. He is a man who has already won it all - both as a player and indeed a manager - but he is seemingly more motivated than ever to succeed.

In terms of City's pre-season schedule, this opening match of the summer is followed up by that aforementioned clash against Man United in Beijing next Monday. Then comes a meeting with Dortmund in the same city, before heading to Stockholm where they will face Arsenal. No too many games ahead for Guardiola to get things right with his first-team players, then, so much of the work will likely be done on the training ground.

This is all in preparation for that opening Premier League fixture of the Guardiola era, which is at home to Sunderland on the opening weekend. Then comes an intriguing trip to Stoke City the following matchday - a game the new boss was asked about on more than one occasion on his unveiling last week - before two more key fixtures against West Ham United and Man United. Throw the likes of Mourinho, Pochettino, Wenger, Ranieri, Koeman and Klopp into the mix, and you have the perfect storm for what should be a season to remember in the English top flight.

They may have fallen short of rolling out the red carpet for their former gaffer, but this is a nice touch from Bayern to welcome Guardiola back to the Allianz Area this evening. That said, not sure what the reception would be like if this was a key European tie!

Welcome back, Pep! #FCBayern have already arrived at the #AllianzArena. @ManCity are still on their way. #FCBMCFC pic.twitter.com/I7sZ2xqXz0 — FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) July 20, 2016

PREVIOUS MEETINGS! These two sides have met on six previous occasions in competitive action, all of which coming in the last half-decade. It is delicately balanced at three wins apiece overall - City winning the last match 3-2 at the Etihad, having lost 1-0 in the earlier group-stage clash. There is a nice symmetry to the results, in fact, which reads LWLWLW for the Citizens.

Around 10 minutes to go until kickoff at the Allianz Arena now, so let us check out some of the pre-match thoughts from both camps:

Pep Guardiola: "I'm here to prove myself and prove I can play [the same way]. At Barcelona I had absolutely everything, including the best player ever. At Bayern they had lots of things to be a success. Now I'm here and it felt like the right moment to come here.

"There are managers who have more experience than me. We're going to try and be more consistent in our game. Maybe we're not going to win every day. But we are going to try. What we want is so, so simple. When we have the ball move we want them to move it as quick as possible and create as many chances as possible."

Carlo Ancelotti: "We have to consider that for both teams it is a game to prepare well for next season. It's a friendly game, of course we want to do our best, everybody wants to try to win, but the result is the less-important thing. For this match I would like to see my team do well and make a good performance. That's it.

"Guardiola's time at Bayern was really good. I hope the players don't forget this because it was a really good experience for them. Every manager has his own style, and this year I want to put my ideas, but I think the work Guardiola did here in the last three years will be important also for this season."

So Ancelotti talking there about wanting to simply build on the success of Guardiola - an evolution rather than an evolution which he hopes will keep Bayern on top and out of the reach of closest challengers Borussia Dortmund. Guardiola talking about the wish to prove himself, meanwhile, knowing that questions have been asked in the past about just how tough it is to win on a regular basis at sides boasting the quality of Barcelona and Bayern.

PREDICTION! Never easy to call a pre-season friendly, but Bayern's second team does have far more about it than City's. That said, I'm expecting a tight match this evening between two teams trying out some different ideas under their news managers, particularly in the first half before mass changes are likely made by both. 3-1.

Both sets of players are now making their way down the tunnel area ready for kickoff, which is now just around four minutes or so away. A tough evening in store for three of City's backline, with only Kolarov boasting any real experience. Further forward, a big shift is needed from the other two experienced heads in the squad - Fernandinho and Fernando. Keeping things tight early on could be key against a Bayern side that includes Alaba, Lahm, Rafinha, Alonso and Ribery.

Kickoff at the Allianz Arena is now just a matter of minutes away. A first chance to see how Guardiola intends to set out his new City side, as he prepared to take on his former suitors here in Bavaria.

Football is finally back at the #AllianzArena! ⚽️ #FCBMCFC pic.twitter.com/3hjx9UMJMp — FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) July 20, 2016

KICKOFF! Iheanacho and Zinchenko get us underway in Germany, both looking to stake a claim for a starting spot when it comes to the games that really matter in three weeks' time. No Aguero this evening, remember, with a load of the Euro and Copa America contingent absent from the off.

A super cross comes in from the left via the boot of Bernat, but Green could not quite get a touch on it inside the area. Bayern looking a little sharper than their opponents, perhaps due to the fact that they have already blown off the cobwebs in their opening pre-season fixture earlier this week.

The hosts still looking the better team in terms of technical quality around the field, with American youngster Green looking lively when given the ball. Zinchenko did have one sight of goal for the visitors but could not quite make the most of it.

A fine pass is swept into the right flank for Navas to get on the end of, but his subsequent cross is easily caught by Ulreich. The Spaniard's first piece of play of the 2016-16 season proves just as frustrating as his game for large parts of the last campaign - an improvement needed if he is to hold down a place.

Still no real goalmouth action thus far, but City have grown into the game well and have just won a corner which was easily cleared away in the end. The Citizens now knocking the ball around and moving their way up the field, aiming to break down their opponents' defence.

Guardiola will be happy enough with the start his side has made to this opening pre-season fixture. Bayern were on top for the opening five or six minutes, coming closest when Bernat sent in a decent left-sided cross, but since then the Sky Blues have bossed the ball for large parts.

Bernat not scared to get right up the field, but on this occasion he cannot quite create anything at the end of his foray forward. Bayern not quite in the flow of things with 13 minutes now on the clock, but they do look as though they have a goal or two in them.

SAVE! Superb stop by Caballero to deny Bayern what seemed a certain breakthrough goal! Ribery and Alaba, two of the most experienced players on the field, linked up brilliantly inside the box for the former to pull it back to his teammate just a few yards out. Alaba struck the ball too centrally which gave Caballero a chance to stretch across and keep the ball out.

Barker just a little too slow at reacting when a chance opened up, which you have to put down to his inexperience. A perfect chance for the raft of young players to impress this evening under the new man in charge, and it is so far so good with the scoreline level nearly a quarter of the way through.

Not a great deal happening at the moment, as Bayern take their turn to knock the ball around the field. Still just the one big chance in the game - Alaba seeing his close-range shot kept out by a fine Caballero stop around five minutes or so ago in Bavaria.

SHOT! Iheanacho takes on a shot-to-nothing on the edge of the Bayern box, which for just a moment looked like it was dipping into the far corner of the net. Ulreich barely flinched, though, instead watching the ball as it skimmed the roof of the net.

Worth mentioning that Fabian Gotze is on the bench for Bayern this evening. Brother Mario is reportedly on the brink of joining former side Borussia Dortmund earlier this week. Mehdi Benatia is another who has been allowed to leave by Ancelotti this summer, but all the key men from last season remain.

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Bayern boast the more experienced side and are further advanced in their summer schedule, but not a great deal between the sides so far. Guardiola has been down on the touchline barking out orders, telling his players to get higher up the field after dropping back.

SAVE! Another fine Caballero save, this time to deny young American forward Julian Green. Through one-on-one with the City back-up stopper, Green really should have been tucking the ball away, but could only blast down the middle for Caballero to get a strong hand to the ball.

Bayern starting to carve out the chances now, with two clear-cut openings over the past 15 minutes or so. The hosts failed to beat Caballero on both occasions, but surely that breakthrough will arrive before the interval at this rate.

Not seen too much from City's youngster so far, with plenty of defending to do at times, but Guardiola will be happy enough as we enter the second third of the match. Still goalless, despite Die Rotten boasting the better side on paper, and a chance to push on over the next hour.

The Citizens' play is just a tad stale, which could be down to no players wanting to make a mistake on this big occasion or rather, and probably more likely, because of a lack of football over the past couple of months. Bayern have had a 90-minute run-our already, remember, beating Lippstadt 4-3 earlier this week.

SAVE! A familiar theme developing now - Bayern patiently getting the ball forward and creating a clear opening only for Caballero to come to the rescue for his side. Ribery again created this latest chance, pulling the ball back for Green who, like Alaba a little earlier, hit it directly at the Citizens' keeper.

The last 15 minutes of this game have been dominated by Bayern. Three big chances created but still no opening goal for Ancelotti's men, meaning that Man City are still in with a shout of claiming a draw from this friendly - a decent result when looking at the lineup named by Guardiola.

No denying that Caballero has been the visitors' best performer so far. The Argentine pounces on the ball to deny Green before he could get a shot away, having already produced three big stops in this first half.

For all of Bayern's dominance over the past 15 minutes, City are now the team on top as we edge towards the interval. Another corner is won, but it is again cleared away without Ulreich having to do any sort of work.

Two minutes to go until the break, with no time expected to be added on at the end. Good run-out for both sides thus far, but we can surely expect a handful of changes at the break as is usually the case at this stage in the summer programme.

So a first half that was largely dominated by Bayern Munich comes to a close, with the scoreline still level at 0-0. The opening 45 minutes started off in a relatively slow manner, but three chances arrived for the hosts - all of which were kept out by Manchester City keeper Willy Caballero.

The first opening came 15 minutes in when Ribery and Alaba, two of the most experienced players on the field, linked up superbly inside the box for the former to pull it back to his teammate just a few yards out. Alaba could only strike the ball into a central area of the goal, though, allowing Caballero to get in the way and deny the Austria international.

We saw very little from the visitors in an attacking sense, with their only shot coming via the boot of Iheanacho halfway through. It was very much a shot-to-nothing, too, which Ulreich was happy to watch sail over the bar onto the roof of his net. Summer recruit Zinchenko failed to put his stamp on things, but he may remain on the field for the second period.

Bayern's next two on-target attempts came from Green strikes, both of which he probably should have converted. The first was a clear one-on-one which Caballero kept out; the second coming from another Ribery cutback which, again, was hit into a nice position for the City stopper to get across and palm aside.

What will Guardiola make of the first-half showing from his side? Difficult to read too much into the performance, especially with this being the first fixture of the summer, but he was on the touchline a lot in the opening 45 minutes urging his players up the field. A couple of changes are likely at the break.

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RESTART! We are back underway at the Allianz Arena, where there is news of some changes to bring you. Clichy and Bony have both been brought on for the second half, with the latter firing a shot away within a minute of being introduced.

Bony clearly looking to prove a point, then, with his shot being held by Ulreich despite it looking likely to trickle wide of the target. City looking by far the brighter early on in the half, with Navas getting into the box and winning a corner for his side.

City not being too helpful when it comes to providing updates on the team for the second half, but I make it four changes in all - not two as mentioned a little earlier. As well as Clichy and Bony being introduced, Gunn is on in goal and Delph brought into the middle of the pitch - far more experience now.

SHOT! Bony helps the ball on from a cross towards Fernandinho, who got his contact all wrong and blasted high over the bar from inside the area. That is City's best chance of the match so far, which says more about what has come before this strike.

A more-evenly balanced match now following those half-time changes by Guardiola, but the first half started in a similar manner, too. Bayern just need to find their passing groove again before play is disrupted by further changes dotted throughout this second period.

SAVE! A first save for Gunn to make since being brough on as he keeps out Hagler's strike. A relatively simple stop, in truth, but that will no doubt give the youngster a major boost in this impressive arena.

MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Yaya Toure, a man whose future has been up in the air for the best part of a year now - especially since Guardiola's arrival was announced - comes on for Fernando in the centre of midfield in City's fifth change of the match.

Bayern being a little too intricate in an attempt to get in behind their opponents' backline for the first time since the restart, allowing Gunn to pounce on the ball and end the attacking move. Still not a great deal to shout about from either side in this half.

More changes to come in the next few minutes from both sides, including the introduction of Fabian Gotze - brother of the more well-known Mario.

The boss watching over his new charges... #cityontour #mcfc pic.twitter.com/CTqmU0fwKr — Manchester City (@ManCity) July 20, 2016

This second half very much has the feel of a pre-season friendly about it, with neither side offering a great deal. Fitness as ever is the key, but it doesn't provide the greatest of spectacles for the neutrals watching on this evening.

CLOSE! Guardiola still barking out plenty of orders. Think Delph was on the end of his latest outburst for not following previous instructions, proving that nobody is safe. Difficult chance for Bony moments ago, as he got on the end of a cross from the left which ended narrowly wide.

I would say Man City are looking the more likely to score based on the past few minutes, but in truth a breakthrough looks a distance away at the moment. Bony's half-chance aside, there has been very little in terms of goalmouth action in the 23 minutes of this half.

Really good pressing from City's advanced players to force their opponents right the way back in a hurried manner. Guardiola will surely be delighted by that at this early stage of pre-season, with the likes of De Bruyne and Aguero still to integrate into the side.

MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Time for another City youngster to enter the fray - Aleix Garcia is on in place of Fernandinho. A big shift for the Brazilian, that, having been kept on for just short of 72 minutes.

Bony so nearly through on goal, only for a poor first touch to let him down. It was a good move from the visitors, but sharpness - or a lack of it - cost the City striker in the end on a night that he is desperate to impress on.

Well pretty much out of nowhere, Bayern take the lead at the Allianz Arena. It was a goal that this second half deserved - the sloppiest of strikes from range that took a wicked deflection of Clichy to leave Gunn beaten between the sticks.

CLOSE! Almost the perfect response by City, who come within inches of levelling through Yaya Toure's free kick from 25 yards out. An unorthodox run-up to the ball, but well taken nonetheless and not too far away at all from the Citizens midfielder.

City left chasing the game now in search of an equaliser. Bayern certainly deserve the win on the basis of the 81 minutes overall, but in this second half there has been very little between the two teams - City perhaps even edging things in terms of half-chances.

The only City player to have really stood out this evening, in my opinion, is Willy Caballero. A few top saves in the first half, which could just edge him ahead of Joe Hart in the pecking order come this time next month when the real action gets underway.

CHANCE! A good chance for City to earn a draw from this game, as Bony finds Celina who takes his time before seeing his deflected shot blocked away before it can reach an empty goal. Still five minutes to go!

Pretty much all City now, as you would expect, but just no way through. Celina had that good chance a couple of minutes ago which he could not capitalise on, and we now have just three minutes left to go. Celina is again involved in this latest attack down the right, though the visitors have just a corner to show for it.

A shot from range is not dealt with all that well by Gunn, who gratefully watches the ball bounce into his body and over the bar, for a corner. From the set-piece comes nothing as far as Bayern are concerned, and that will likely be that.

So Manchester City fall to defeat in Pep Guardiola's first match in charge, then, courtesy of a deflected Erdal Ozturk strike a little under 15 minutes from time at the Allianz Arena. Bayern Munich were deserving winners over the 90 minutes, but there was very little between the teams in the second half and Pep Guardiola will be happy enough by what he saw.

Well that concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events in Bavaria. An on-the-whistle report of Guardiola's first game in charge of City can be found here, while reaction from across a number of pre-season friendlies will follow in due course. Thanks for joining!