Bayern Munich vs Galatasaray preview, match details, stats and prediction

Bayern Munich are set to face Galatasaray in a crucial UEFA Champions League match at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

A win against Galatasaray will guarantee Bayern’s spot in the round of 16 after securing victories in their first three group-stage games.

Thomas Tuchel’s team currently enjoys a five-point lead after a convincing 3-1 victory in Istanbul, with Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, and Kingsley Coman all finding the net. This win marked their third consecutive victory, following successes against Manchester United at home and FC Copenhagen on the road.

Bayern made a strong comeback just three days after a disappointing exit from the DBF-Pokal second round, where they were defeated by a third-tier side, Saarbrucken.

The Bavarians bounced back in style with a resounding 4-0 win against Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund in the Der Klassiker. Dayot Upamecano opened the scoring early, and Harry Kane recorded a superb hat-trick on his Der Klassiker debut, taking his Bundesliga goal tally to 15 in just 10 games. This victory allowed Tuchel’s side to make a powerful statement and stay within reach of Bayer Leverkusen at the top of the Bundesliga table.

In domestic competitions, Galatasaray, under Okan Buruk’s leadership, has been in exceptional form, earning 31 points out of a possible 33 in 11 Super Lig games. The Cimbom have won 10 consecutive matches since a goalless draw with Kayserispor on the opening weekend of the season, so it’s no surprise that Bayern Munich tickets are extremely difficult to get hold of these days.

Galatasaray claimed a 2-1 home victory over Kasimpasa last Friday through Wilfred Zaha’s brace, securing their position at the top of the table ahead of Fenerbahce.

Galatasaray are striving to reach the UEFA Champions League last 16 for the first time in a decade. They currently hold the second position in Group A, one point ahead of third-placed Manchester United, whom they will face on matchday five.

Bayern currently lead the group table with a perfect record of 3 wins in 3 matches in this season’s UCL campaign. Galatasaray is in the second spot in the group and must maintain their performance to fend off United. Both teams are performing well domestically, setting the stage for an exciting matchup.

KANE AND ICARDI SET FOR GOALS GALORE

England captain, Harry Kane, plays a pivotal role in Bayern Munich’s squad. His incredible vision, playmaking skills, and goal-scoring prowess have earned him the status of one of the finest strikers in the Bundesliga this season.

The 30-year-old has netted 15 goals in 10 Bundesliga appearances and 17 goals in 14 appearances in all competitions. He is the first player ever to score 15 goals in his first 10 Bundesliga appearances and now tops this season’s scoring charts, while also having five Bundesliga assists to his name.

His consistent performances has made him a threat to any opposition defense in Europe. Wherever he plays, he poses a significant threat to opponents.

Mauro Icardi is widely recognized for his goal-scoring and innate ability to poach goals. He has proven to be an indispensable asset for Galatasaray, primarily due to his knack for finding the back of the net.

His goal against Manchester United propelled the team into the top two positions in the group-stage standings. The 30-year-old has an impressive tally of 15 goals in 18 matches across all competitions

If he receives the right pass at the right moment, he is almost certain to score. The Bayern defense must remain vigilant and watch out for his goal-scoring capabilities.

What’s most crucial in this match is that both strikers have two Champions League goals and it will be interesting to see who extends his goal tally ahead of the other.

MATCH DETAILS 

LOCATION: Munich, Germany

STADIUM: Allianz Arena

DATE: Wednesday 8 November

KICK-OFF TIME: 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT

REFEREE: Emanuel Carvalho Nobre (POR)

MATCH STATS AND HEAD-TO-HEAD

• Bayern and Galatasaray have met three times in the UEFA Champions League, with Bayern holding an unbeaten record, including two wins and one draw.
• Bayern have one of the best-attacking records in this season’s Champions League, scoring nine goals in three games.
• Bayern boast a 100% winning record at home against Turkish teams, having scored 22 goals and conceded only three in seven meetings.
• Galatasaray have suffered just one defeat in all competitions this season, and that loss was against Munich at home last month.
• Galatasaray have won their last seven consecutive away games and kept four clean sheets during this period.
• Bayern have an impressive 37-match unbeaten streak in Champions League group games, with 16 consecutive victories.
• In their five away UEFA Champions League matches against German teams, Galatasaray have scored a total of 22 goals.
• Bayern have secured 82 out of the last 84 available points in their home group stage matches in the UEFA Champions League.
• The only previous encounter between Bayern and Galatasaray at Bayern’s home was during the first round of the 1972-73 European Cup, which Bayern won 6-0.
• Bayern’s last failure to win a group game in the Champions League was in December 2020, with a 1-1 draw away at Atletico Madrid, and they have since recorded 16 straight victories, setting a record in Europe’s top club competition.
• Galatasaray have won just one of their last 18 away games in the Champions League, with three draws and 14 losses.

TEAM NEWS

Bayern Munich face a setback as defender Matthijs de Ligt is sidelined for several weeks due to a partial knee ligament tear, and Tarek Buchmann is still in the recovery process from a hamstring issue.

On a positive note, Bayern welcomed back Dayot Upamecano and Leon Goretzka both of whom returned last weekend. Goretzka, despite playing with strapping on his hand following an operation last month, and Upamecano are likely to feature in center-back and midfield roles, respectively.

Joshua Kimmich, who served the first of a two-match domestic ban last weekend, is eligible to play on Wednesday. He is expected to return to the midfield, partnering either Goretzka or Konrad Laimer.

In the attacking department, Thomas Muller will continue to vie with Jamal Musiala for the number 10 role, but Musiala is likely to retain his place behind star striker Harry Kane, who has contributed to four goals (two goals and two assists) in four group-stage games this season.

For Galatasaray, goalkeeper Fernando Muslera faces an extended period on the sidelines due to an elbow dislocation. In his absence, Gunay Guvenc is set to make his Champions League debut as the goalkeeper.

Halil Dervisoglu, who came on as a second-half substitute last weekend, is ineligible to play on Wednesday as he was left out of the club’s Champions League squad.

Abdulkerim Bardakci, who started at left-back against Kasimpasa, is expected to shift to center-back, allowing either Kazimcan Karatas or Angelino to start on the left side of the defense.

On the right flank, Tete will compete with Hakim Ziyech for a starting position, while Wilfred Zaha, Kerem Akturkoglu, and Mauro Icardi are anticipated to continue leading the attack, leaving Dries Mertens to find a spot on the substitutes’ bench.

Tanguy Ndombele, on loan from Tottenham, is set to miss the trip to Germany due to a muscle injury.

MATCH PREDICTION

Bayern Munich enter this match as clear favorites to secure all three points, and they possess the attacking firepower to outscore their Turkish counterparts, earning a spot in the last 16.

In their recent match against Borussia Dortmund, Bayern displayed one of their most convincing performance during Thomas Tuchel’s tenure, bouncing back strongly after their DFB-Pokal defeat.

While Galatasaray created problems for Bayern in the reverse fixture, forcing a reactive approach from the Germans, the dynamic should shift at the Allianz Arena.

It is unlikely that Galatasaray would pose an upset but one thing is certain: expect a match filled with goals!