German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich begin the quest to win a first UEFA Champions League (UCL) title in three seasons against Italian Serie A side Inter Milan at the San Siro in Milan, Italy. Bayern Munich are guests of Inter Milan in a Group C encounter scheduled to take place on Wednesday night.
According to L’Equipe, as relayed by Sport Witness, Benjamin Pavard is starting at an uncertain future at Bayern Munich following their capture of Matthijs de Ligt. Many expect the Frenchman to leave the club this summer, which has put top clubs such as Manchester United and Chelsea on alert. Manchester United have already included Pavard in their transfer wishlist, while Chelsea are naturally included in the mix, as they are currently on the lookout for defensive reinforcements, in light of the expected departures of many star players.
According to a report by German publication BILD, Bayern Munich are exploring the possibility of signing Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane in the 2023 summer transfer window. The England captain will have just a year remaining on his contract with the north London outfit after this season if he decides against signing a renewal this season. Bayern Munich have signed Sadio Mane from Liverpool and Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus in two blockbuster deals this summer. While the Senegalese international cost them €41 million, they paid €70 million plus €10 million in add-ons to sign the Dutch defender.
Bayern Munich attacker Thomas Muller has provided a mixed reaction after the club’s thumping 4-1 win over Cologne on the road. The Bavarian giants were hugely impressive during the opening 12 minutes of the game where they scored on three occasions and that eventually contributed to a 4-1 triumph over their league counterparts.
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer believes his team can overcome the challenge presented by Liverpool during the round of 16 stage of the Champions League.
The Bavarian giants have been pitted against the Reds for the first time in Europe since early 2000 and Neuer has backed them to prevail by taking advantage of the defensive vulnerability of Jurgen Klopp’s side.
It's still early days in the Bundesliga with just seven games played and there are still plenty more twists and turns to come before the German top flight concludes in May 2019, however the league is starting to take shape and, worryingly for Bayern Munich, they have four points to make up on current leaders Borussia Dortmund.
The Bavarians made a less than impressive start to the 2017-18 campaign but were a point better off heading into the second international break and their stuttering starts are beginning to be a cause for concern amongst Bayern fans.
Bayern Munich attacker Franck Ribery has hinted that he could leave the Bavarian giants when the current season comes to a close. The 35-year-old has been with the German champions for the past 11 years where he has made almost 330 appearances but he could be up for a fresh challenge at the end of the current campaign.
Speaking exclusively to Bundesliga.com, Ribery indicated that he has yet to decide whether he would be prolong his Bayern stay beyond next summer but he has plans to continue playing for the next three years at the least, he said: “I’d be up for another season, but let’s wait and see how this season shapes up. I am relaxed and don’t put myself under pressure. You must assess your performances correctly. It’s too early to say now. At my age, you never know what’s next, but I would like to play until I am 38.”
Bayern Munich came crashing out of the Champions League in the semi-final against Real Madrid, and it has now been five years since the German giants won the ultimate tournament. The Spanish side, on the other hand, have won three of the last four competitions. Now, Zinedine Zidane’s men are looking to be the first side in over forty years to win a hat-trick of European tournaments in succession.
The last side to win the paramount European competition three seasons in a row was Bayern Munich in the 1975-76 campaign. Prior to that, the feat had only been achieved by Los Blancos, who won the inaugural European Cup and the four tournaments that followed. Jupp Heynckes and his charges have now given Real the perfect opportunity to atone for a slightly underwhelming campaign and retain their European crown.
Bayern Munich have one of the best squads in the entirety of Europe. In fact, they probably have the best squad in the world. With players such as Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben, Javi Martinez, Arturo Vidal, Thiago and Mats Hummels, Bayern are certainly a match for the strongest teams anywhere on the planet.
However, Bayern still came short against Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Carlo Ancelotti’s side lost the first leg of the tie 2-1 at the Allianz Arena and the second leg 4-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu after extra time. This means that for the fourth successive season, the Bavarian giants have failed to progress to the final of the Champions League.
Carlo Ancelotti admitted that Bayern Munich were lucky to get a 2-0 advantage over Frankfurt going into the halftime.
