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Bayern Munich vs. Benfica: UEFA Champions League probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

bundesliga.com, 1 November 2021, 12:10
Victory for Bayern Munich and Robert Lewandowski against Benfica on Tuesday will see them through to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League (kick-off: 9pm CET).
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Lewandowski has five goals in Bayern's three Champions League group games so far this season, bagging braces in the 3-0 win over Barcelona and 5-0 thumping of Dynamo Kyiv, before getting 'just' one in the 4-0 victory in Lisbon two weeks ago. With 12 goals scored, none conceded and a full haul of nine points, the German champions can secure progress out of Group E with two games to spare if they get the better of Benfica again. Leroy Sane got two goals in a devastating 15 minutes that saw the Munich club strike four times in the reverse fixture. The Germany international got another at the weekend as Bayern bounced back from their DFB Cup exit to Borussia Mönchengladbach by winning 5-2 away at Union Berlin. Thomas Müller had a direct hand in four of those goals, including a hat-trick of assists. The in-form pair are certain to start behind Lewandowski. Expect to see a shuffle at the back, thoughu, with two of Dayot Upamecano, Niklas Süle and Lucas Hernandez to play in central defence. Leon Goretzka could return following an ankle knock which saw him miss the weekend's action. Marcel Sabitzer and Corentin Tolisso are on standby for the Bundesliga leaders, who are hopeful of welcoming back coach Julian Nagelsmann to the touchline after his period in isolation.

Benfica fell from the summit in Portugal on Saturday after they were held to a 1-1 draw away at promoted Estoril. The Lisbon club had led inside two minutes but conceded a 90th-minute equaliser that allowed Porto and champions Sporting Lisbon to overtake them by a point. Former 1860 Munich and Borussia Dortmund man Julian Weigl has anchored the midfield in all seven of The Eagles' European fixtures this season, with the defeat to Bayern their only setback. On loan at Hertha Berlin last season, Nemanja Radonjic started the weekend's draw, but former Bundesliga players Haris Seferovic and Valentino Lazaro are all sidelined. Benfica begin Matchday 4 second in Group E, five points adrift of leaders Bayern but only one ahead of Barcelona, who are away at Dynamo Kyiv.

Match stats

Lewandowski is set to make his 100th appearance in the UEFA Champions League; he has 78 goals in the competition.

This is the 12th time Bayern face Benfica, with the Portuguese side still without a single win.

No German has played in the Champions League more times than Müller (127 times), while he is one goal shy of 50 in the competition.

Müller is now third on Bayern's all-time scoring list after edging one clear of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (217) onto 220. Only Gerd Müller (523) and Lewandowski (313) have more.

With 12 goals, Bayern are the current top-scoring team in the Champions League.

Former 1860 Munich and Dortmund defender Weigl is one of five former Bundesliga players in the Benfica squad. The others are Seferovic (Eintracht Frankfurt), Lazaro (Hertha & Gladbach), Odysseas Vlachodimos (VfB Stuttgart) and Radonjic (Hertha).

Probable line-ups

Bayern: Neuer (c) - Pavard, Upamecano, Süle, Davies - Kimmich, Goretzka - Gnabry, Müller, Sane - Lewandowski

Out: Choupo-Moting (thigh), Ulreich (knee)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Julian Nagelsmann

Benfica: Vlachodimos - Verissimo, Otamendi (c), Vertonghen - Goncalves, Weigl, Mario, Grimaldo - Silva, Yaremchuk, Nunez

Out: Dias (muscular), Lazaro (muscular), Pinho (knee), Seferovic (muscular)

Doubtful: Almeida (muscular)

Coach: Jorge Jesus

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