Bayern Munich vs. Manchester City projected lineups, starting XIs, team news: Will Sadio Mane return and play?

by — April 19, 2023 in TOP NEWS



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Bayern Munich welcome Manchester City to Allianz Arena on with Thomas Tuchel’s side 3-0 down after the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal matchup (you can catch all the action on Paramount+ and CBS). Pep Guardiola’s players thumped the Germans in the opening leg and will surely finish the job in Bavaria. Tuchel is facing adversity for the first time since replacing Julian Nagelsmann and the Bundesliga leaders have won just one of their last four across all competitions. Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva both scored once and assisted at Etihad Stadium while Bayern looked nothing like the team that knocked Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain out with relative ease. Make no mistake, this is the tallest of orders for the home side but the UCL has thrown up surprise results at this stage over the past few years.

Here’s our predicted lineups and starting XI projections — and while you’re at it, sign up for our new newsletter covering the beautiful game in all its glory, including updates about the most important stories in the sport, here.

Bayern

Europe had been Bayern’s strongest competition until the first leg blowout with 18 points from 18 under Nagelsmann to top Group C eight points clear of Inter Milan. Despite eliminating PSG 3-0 on aggregate with home and away wins in the round of 16, Tuchel was drafted in for the quarterfinals and a heavy opening leg defeat in Manchester followed. The German tactician has confirmed that Sadio Mane will be back in the squad after his altercation with Leroy Sane post-game in Manchester. 

Key attacking focal point Eric Maxim Choupo Moting missed the opening leg through injury but could yet make it for this one. Manuel Neuer and Lucas Hernandez are long-term misses as they continue to rehabilitate. Kingsley Coman was vital in Paris with the only goal of the first leg which unlocked a tricky round of 16 tie and he has a knack for scoring important goals. The 26-year-old Frenchman could prove key to any faint Tuchel hopes of a comeback. Targeting Choupo Moting will be absolutely crucial but even then this is the toughest of mountains to climb for the Bavarians.

Probable Bayern XI: Sommer; Pavard, Upamecano, De Ligt, Davies; Kimmich (c), Goretzka; Sane, Musiala, Coman; Choupo-Moting.

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Manchester City

Group G was led by City with 14 points from a possible 18, five points ahead of Bayern’s Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund. Haaland was insatiable as Guardiola’s men pummelled RB Leipzig 8-1 on aggregate in the round of 16 with Haaland hitting five in a savage 7-0 home thrashing. City deserved their 3-0 first leg win over Bayern and should now reach the semifinals. Still no Phil Foden for Guardiola who rotated his squad against Leicester City over the weekend in the Premier League. 

Haaland is chasing an EPL record for the most UCL goals in a single campaign since Ruud van Nistelrooy of Manchester United got 12 back in 2002-03 — the Norwegian superstar is just one shy of the Dutchman’s tally. Haaland will be key once more as he looks to add to his impressive scoring record and pursues Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2013-14 record total of 17 goals in one single edition. On 11 already, two potential semifinal legs and then maybe a final too could see the 22-year-old write himself into more record books.

Probable City XI: Ederson; Akanji, Dias, Ake; Stones, Rodri; Silva, Gundogan (c), De Bruyne, Grealish; Haaland.

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Wednesday’s broadcast schedule





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