Verdict: Bayern Munich to win by 2+ goals
Best Odds: 20/21
Bookmaker: Unibet
Firmly sat in pole position to secure their spot in the quarter-final of this year’s Champions League, Bayern Munich will be looking to finish off the job when they welcome Chelsea to the Allianz on Saturday night.
Bayern Munich
Starting with the hosts, only going from strength to strength since making a return from football’s enforced break back in June, Bayern Munich find themselves in the midst of a stunning purple patch. Last seen lifting the DFP Pokal thanks to a 4-2 victory against Bayer Leverkusen last month, the German giants stormed towards their eighth consecutive Bundesliga title and Hans-Dieter Flick’s side have only continued to break records at the Allianz this season. Clinching a domestic silverware sweep this year and still seen to be one of the leading contenders to taste European success this summer, the Bavarians find themselves in the midst of a staggering 17-match winning run across all competitions. Not tasting defeat since way back on December 7th and showing a lethal clinical edge in the final third, Saturday’s hosts also have one leading marksman who has enjoyed nothing short of a sensational campaign in Munich. Bagging yet another brace and helping Bayern lift the DFP Pokal in Berlin last month, the red-hot Robert Lewandowski has recorded an outstanding 55 goals for club and country in what has been a record-breaking year for the Polish striker. Even more impressive, in just his final seven matchups of the 2019/2020 Bundesliga campaign, the 31-year-old recorded 10 strikes and will lead Bayern’s charge this weekend.
Team News
While Bayern are expected to field a strong starting XI this weekend, the German giants will be without Kingsley Coman and Benjamin Pavard who have been ruled out.
It is expected that Joshua Kimmich will fill in at right-back while Ivan Perisic is likely to replace Coman up top.
Chelsea
As for the visitors, while Chelsea might have managed to reclaim their spot in Premier League’s top-four this summer, there is no doubt that the mood in their camp will be downbeat after their FA Cup heartbreak last weekend. Throwing away the lead and watching Arsenal lift the famous title at Wembley seven days ago, Frank Lampard has remained incredibly vocal about his side’s rather glaring continued issues at the back. Hit with what turned out to be a 3-0 drumming at the hands of Saturday’s hosts when they faced off in the first-leg back in March, the Blues failed to record a single Premier League clean sheet away from West London since returning from the enforced break. Even more worrying for the former England midfielder, his side remarkably managed to end the 2019/2020 domestic campaign with just a single away clean sheet to their name, only Aston Villa finished the year with a worse return. With it already being a lively summer in terms of new arrivals at Stamford Bridge, Lampard will simply be desperate for his side to end their campaign on a high before a well-deserved break. However, along with their issues at the back, Chelsea also have a real reputation for their issues on the road. Including that stunning 5-3 defeat at Anfield, the Blues have lost three of their last four contests on their travels, including a 3-0 drumming at Bramall Lane.
Team News
Along with watching Arsenal come from behind and lift the FA Cup last weekend, Chelsea have been hit with an injury headache.
With all three players picking up knocks at Wembley, the Blues will be without Pedro, Cesar Azpilicueta and talisman Christian Pulisic.
Key Factors to Consider
- When the two sides faced off in the first-leg back in March, Bayern Munich picked up a thumping 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
- Polish marksman Robert Lewandowski has recorded 55 goals for club and country this season, including 10 in his previous seven appearances.
- Chelsea have lost three of their last four matchups across all competitions away from Stamford Bridge.
- Shockingly, Chelsea only managed to record a single Premier League clean sheet on the road during the 2019/2020 campaign, the second-worst tally in the division.
- Bayern Munich have won their previous 17 matches across all competitions and are unbeaten since opening 2020.
Conclusion
Throwing away the lead in last weekend’s FA Cup final and continuing to show some rather glaring issues at the back, Frank Lampard’s youngsters could be in for another overwhelming test on Saturday night. Blown away in what was a 3-0 drumming when they welcomed Bayern to Stamford Bridge for the first-leg back in March, the high-flying German giants will be looking to make another statement. Enjoying a stellar domestic silverware sweep this season and only going from strength to strength following football’s return to action, the Bavarians find themselves in the midst of a glittering 17-match winning run and are unbeaten since the start of December. With the likes of Robert Lewandowski continuing to break records at the Allianz this year, expect more fireworks in Munich this weekend.
Verdict: Bayern Munich to win by 2+ goals
Best Odds: 20/21
Bookmaker: Unibet
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