Aston Villa and Bayern Munich will be looking to build on their impressive performances from Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League as they prepare to face off at Villa Park on Wednesday.
The second matchday of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League promises to be action-packed, and this highly anticipated clash will be one of the standout fixtures. Villa Park will play host to a thrilling night as Aston Villa and Bayern Munich lock horns in what is sure to be a captivating encounter.
Aston Villa secured their place in the Champions League by achieving an unexpected top-four finish in the Premier League last season. They began their European journey in style, cruising to a 3-0 victory over BSC Young Boys on Matchday 1. Under the leadership of Unai Emery, Villa has maintained their solid form domestically, currently sitting fifth in the Premier League standings, just two points behind Liverpool, the league leaders.
Aston Villa vs Bayern Munich Team News & Tactics
Aston Villa
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne; Onana, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, Ramsey; Watkins
Bayern Munich
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Guerreiro, Upamecano, Kim, Davies; Kimmich, Pavlovic; Olise, Musiala, Gnabry; Kane
Key Stats
- Wednesday’s match will mark the second-ever meeting between Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, with Villa claiming victory in the 1982 European Cup final, winning 1-0 and securing their only major European title.
- Bayern Munich have lost only one of their last 10 UEFA Champions League matches against English clubs, recording 7 wins and 2 draws; their sole defeat came from a 0-3 loss to Manchester City in the 2022/23 quarter-finals.
- Bayern Munich triumphed over Dinamo Zagreb with a staggering 9-2 win on Matchday 1 of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League. However, they are currently winless in their last three away matches in the competition, with 1 draw and 2 losses. Their last longer winless run on the road was between February and September 2016 (2 draws, 2 losses), spanning the tenures of Pep Guardiola (3 matches) and Carlo Ancelotti (1 match).
- Unai Emery has previously defeated Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on two occasions: a 3-0 victory in September 2017 while managing Paris Saint-Germain and a 1-0 win in April 2022 with Villarreal. Only Jose Mourinho (with Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid) has achieved the feat of beating Bayern in the competition with three different teams.
- Harry Kane has been directly involved in seven goals in six career appearances against Aston Villa at Villa Park, scoring five goals and providing two assists. He has netted the winning goal at Villa Park on two previous occasions, both while playing for Tottenham Hotspur.
Player to Watch
Ollie Watkins
Prediction
Aston Villa 2-3 Bayern Munich
How to Watch Aston Villa vs Bayern Munich
Watch online via NaijaSport247 TV
