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It’s a Champions League week, which means even more painful days lie ahead for Bayern Munich. Hansi Flick is dealing with the worst injury crisis of his career so far, and an in-form Lazio team are waiting to make his week even worse.
The last time Bayern traveled to Rome, it was a fun experience. This time, it’ll be anything but.
Team news
How do you even line up with so many players out? Do you know what happened the last time Thomas Muller missed a UCL knockout? Liverpool beat Bayern 3-1. AT HOME. This is going to be extremely painful.
Anyway, Robert Lewandowski will probably start up top, with Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman on the flanks. Hansi Flick mentioned Jamal Musiala as an option for tomorrow’s game, and we sure hope that option is taken, because Choupo-Moting was simply not up to par against Frankfurt. Yes, it’s a bit dicey for a club like Bayern to rely on a 17-year-old kid in the freaking Champions League, but we have no other (good) options.
In midfield, you’ll probably see David Alaba and Leon Goretzka team up, given that Joshua Kimmich will probably be busy elsewhere. Marc Roca was entirely too passive in his outing against Frankfurt, showing why Hansi prefers to keep the Spaniard on the sidelines. Isn’t it ironic that, in his very last year at Bayern, Alaba is getting what he finally wanted? The Austrian will be key to the midfield tomorrow.
In defense, it’s going to be rubbish no matter who lines up so what does it matter? Sorry, I was overcome by despair for a second. Alphonso Davies, who is actually in decent form at the moment, will likely start at left-back, with Lucas Hernandez supporting him at the left center-back position. Jerome Boateng will likely start at right center-back, while Kimmich moves to cover for Sule and Benjamin Pavard at right-back.
Having Kimmich and Phonzie on the flanks at the same time should help Bayern make up for some of the creativity lost by Muller’s absence, but Hansi Flick needs to figure out the pressing. It was woeful against Frankfurt, and a weak press will be something Lazio will be poised to take advantage of. Even though we have Manuel Neuer in goal, he can’t save everything all the time.
Anyway, without further ado, here’s how we think Bayern will line up tomorrow:
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Other options:
- Choupo-Moting for Musiala at AM.
- Sule at right-back, formation shifts accordingly (if Sule is fit).
- Buona Sarr at right-back (unlikely).
Update
Bild seems to think that Sule will start.
Lazio vs Bayern | Possible lineups [Bild] pic.twitter.com/wdwjzbTx8P
— Sextuple winners (@iMiaSanMia) February 22, 2021