How will Bayern Munich line up against AEK Athens?

It’s time for some Champions League action! Bayern Munich travel to Greece to take on AEK Athens in the battle for group E. Both Bayern and Ajax sit on 4 points, with Benfica right behind them on 3 points. Athens have yet to win a game, but they can still make the Ro16 (or at least the Europa League), so they will be expected to give their all against the visiting Germans. With a squad still recovering from a slump, Bayern Munich will have to be very careful to avoid any slip-ups.

Team News

Franck Ribery joins the list of injured players, due to a reported vertebral blockage. There’s no news on how severe the injury might be, but the Frenchman was left out of the squad travelling to Greece. In addition to him, Corentin Tolisso (ACL) and Kingsley Coman (ankle) remain sidelined by long-term injuries.

Niko Kovac confirmed that David Alaba is a doubt for the game. Specifically, he said that the player would be assessed after the final training session to decide if he can play. If Alaba is indeed sidelined, then Rafinha would be a most likely candidate to take his place at left back. Bayern II player Jonathan Meier has traveled with the team, so he could also be an option in case the need arises.

No word on either Serge Gnabry or James Rodriguez — however Kovac is a rotation freak so don’t be surprised to see one or both of them on the bench. Speaking about Thomas Muller, the coach confirmed that it was in fact rotation that kept him out of the Wolfsburg game, so it’s likely that he’ll be on the starting XI tomorrow.

Here’s how we think Bayern might line up:

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John Dillon

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