The Champions League is back, and Lazio will be looking to inflict more pain on a wounded Bayern Munich in their first leg of the round of 16 tie.
The Aquilotti come into the match on the back of a 3-1 win over Cagliari in Serie A, which ended a three-match winless run. They will be desperate to reach the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in their history. However, they will have a psychological barrier to overcome, having lost both legs of their only previous appearance at this stage, against Bayern in 2021.
Lazio’s record against German clubs is also not good. They have won just one of their last seven matches against teams from Germany (1D, 5L). However, their recent form at the Stadio Olimpico in Europe could give them some confidence, as they have lost just one of their last 12 European home games (6W, 5D).
Bayern travel to Italy after what captain Manuel Neuer described as “their worst performance on a crucial day”. They were beaten 3-0 by title rivals Bayer Leverkusen, who are now five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga. That ended a three-match winning run for the Bavarians, and they will need to bounce back quickly in a competition they have not lost in since April 2023 (5W, 2D).
Despite their recent troubles, Bayern are still the clear favorites for this tie, and they will be looking to reach their 12th quarter-final in 13 attempts. A win here would also see them win their sixth consecutive match against an Italian side.
Players to watch:
Felipe Anderson (Lazio): The in-form attacker has been involved in three goals in his last five Serie A appearances for Lazio (2 goals, 1 assist). He could be a danger to the Bayern defense.
Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern): The Dutch defender, a former Lazio player, will be keen to impress against his old club. He was benched against Leverkusen but scored in the previous game and is unbeaten in his last three personal meetings with Lazio (2W, 1D).
Hot stat: Bayern have scored seven of their last eight Champions League goals after the 60th minute.
The match promises to be an intense and exciting one. Lazio will need to produce a special performance to get a result in this tie. Bayern, for their part, will need to rediscover their confidence if they want to continue their march towards the final.
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