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Bayern Munich will return to the Champions League when FC Rostov visits the Allianz Arena. Rostov is the weakest team in the group, and Bayern will be targeting a big victory in their opening match.
Carlo Ancelotti will have the biggest available squad at his disposal that he’s had since joining Bayern. Still, it’s likely that Ancelotti will stick with “old reliable” up front. At least, the Robert Lewandowski + Thomas Müller + Franck Ribery trio has been “old reliable” to start this year.
I wouldn’t expect many changes in the Bayern lineup for this match at any position on the field barring a last minute injury. Arturo Vidal should slide back into the midfield next to Xabi Alonso with Thiago Alcantara mixed in.
The path to the Champions League knockout rounds always runs through Bayern. With Atletico Madrid sharing a group this time, Bayern will need to be at their best and take maximum points to avoid slipping into the second position.
Bayern have to take all three points in this match. Anything less is unacceptable.
Location: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
Time: 8:45 pm local time, 2:45 pm ET
TV/Streaming: USA (ESPN2, Watch ESPN, Fox Soccer 2Go), Canada (TSN5), Germany (TeleClub Sport Live, Sky Sport 1 & 4, SkyGo), UK (BT Sport Extra)
Full Listings: Other Countries
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