Bayern Munich vs Benfica: Champions League Showdown at Allianz Arena

Bayern Munich and Benfica are set to clash in a crucial Champions League match on Wednesday, November 6, at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. This encounter is pivotal for both teams as they aim to recover from recent setbacks in the competition. Bayern Munich, under the leadership of Vincent Kompany, has had a mixed start to their Champions League campaign, suffering defeats to Barcelona and Aston Villa in their last two matches. Despite their strong performance in the Bundesliga, where they remain unbeaten and top the standings, Bayern’s European form has been inconsistent, leaving them in 24th place out of 36 teams in the new Champions League format.

Benfica, managed by Bruno Lage, has also faced challenges in the Champions League. After a promising start with wins over Red Star Belgrade and Atletico Madrid, they suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Feyenoord on Matchday 3. Benfica sits in 13th place, which would secure them a play-off spot for the last 16, but they are eager to gather more points to solidify their position.

The match is expected to be highly competitive, with both teams recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents. Bayern Munich will be without several key players due to injuries, including Hiroki Ito, Josip Stanisic, Sacha Boey, and Aleksandar Pavlovic. Pavlovic has begun individual training but is not yet ready for full team action. Benfica will miss Leandro Barreiro, Gianluca Prestianni, and Tiago Gouveia due to injuries.

The predicted lineups for Bayern Munich include Manuel Neuer in goal, a defensive line of Raphael Guerreiro, Kim Min-jae, Dayot Upamecano, and Alphonso Davies, with Joshua Kimmich and Joao Palhinha in midfield. The attacking lineup is expected to feature Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala, Serge Gnabry, and Harry Kane up front. Benfica’s lineup is likely to include Antolii Trubin in goal, with a defense comprising Alvaro Fernandez, Nicolas Otamendi, Tomas Araujo, and Alexander Bah. Their midfield will feature Florentino Luis, Fredrik Aursnes, and Orkun Kokcu, while the attack will be led by Kerem Akturkoglu, Angel Di Maria, and Vangelis Pavlidis.

The match kicks off at 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT) in the US and Canada, 8 p.m. GMT in the UK, and 9 p.m. CET in Germany. American soccer fans can stream the match via Paramount+, while viewers in the UK can watch on TNT Sports 2, and those in Canada can tune in through DAZN Canada. In Australia, the match will be available on Stan Sport.

Historically, Bayern Munich has the upper hand in meetings between the two teams, with seven wins and three draws in ten encounters. However, Benfica’s recent form in the Primeira Liga, where they have won five consecutive matches, suggests they are capable of posing a significant challenge to Bayern at the Allianz Arena.

Both teams are aware of the importance of this match, with Bayern needing a win to stay in contention for a top-eight finish and Benfica aiming to secure more points to enhance their chances of advancing to the next stage of the competition. The match is expected to be a high-intensity, goal-filled encounter given the attacking prowess of both sides and the defensive vulnerabilities that have been exposed in recent matches.