Preview: Barcelona Women vs. Bayern Munich Women - prediction, team news, lineups

Like their hosts, Bayern have won their opening two group games, and they have the chance to continue their fine run of form after winning their last four competitive matches.

Match preview

Barcelona have been an invincible force across domestic and European competition this term, winning 11 consecutive games.

In that period, the Catalan giants have racked up an incredible 50-goal tally, while they have only conceded on three occasions.

A significant proportion of those goals were scored in a memorable 9-0 home win over Benfica on matchday one, while in their most recent Champions League outing, they cruised to a comfortable 4-1 victory over Rosengard.

After winning the Champions League in the 2020-21 campaign and reaching the final last season, Barcelona look well-prepared to challenge for the European title this term.

Impressively, Barcelona have won their previous 16 home games in the Champions League, while they have scored four goals or more in their last six home matches in the competition, which will inspire confidence ahead of Thursday's contest.

Meanwhile, Bayern are level on six points with their opponents, although they sit in second place due to Barcelona's superior goal difference.

If they are to become the first team to take points off Barcelona this season, Bayern will need to start better than they have in their previous two group games.

They came from a goal down to beat Rosengard, while they had to turn around a two-goal deficit to record a 3-2 victory over Benfica thanks to Georgia Stanway's 98th-minute winner.

In their most recent outing, Bayern Munich brushed aside MSV Duisburg in the DFB-Pokal to claim a 7-0 win that also represented their fourth straight victory in all competitions.

Including qualifying, the visitors have won all four games in the Champions League this season, but they will be fully aware they will have to be at their very best to avoid defeat against Barcelona.

Barcelona Women Women's Champions League form:

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Barcelona Women form (all competitions):

Bayern Munich Women Women's Champions League form:

Bayern Munich Women form (all competitions):

Team News

The visitors are unable to call upon the services of Caroline Graham Hansen, who has missed the last four games through injury.

After spending over a year on the sidelines, Bruna Vilamala made her return from injury as a second half substitute against Deportivo Alaves at the weekend, and she is expected to be on the bench once again on Thursday.

Claudia Pina scored a brace at the weekend, and the 21-year-old is set to feature in the forward line alongside Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic and Geyse.

As for the visitors, they are without Jovana Damnjanovic due to a hamstring problem, while Hanna Glas and Giulia Gwinn are also sidelined.

After scoring a brace in the win over Benfica, Stanway will look to add to provide a goal threat from midfield, where she could be joined by Sarah Zadrazil and Lina Magull.

Lea Schuller has scored in Bayern's last two matches, and she will attempt to find the net for a third consecutive game when she leads the line on Thursday.

Barcelona Women possible starting lineup:

Panos; Bronze, Paredes, Mapi Leon, Rolfo; Bonmati, Walsh, Guijarro; Crnogorcevic, Geyse, Oshoala

Bayern Munich Women possible starting lineup:

Grohs; Rall, Kumagai, Viggosdottir, Simon; Zadrazil, Stanway, Magull; Buhl, Dallmann, Schuller

We say: Barcelona Women 3-1 Bayern Munich Women

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