
FILE PHOTO: Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel to meet again ahead of the Champions League clash tonight. PICTURE: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
MANCHESTER: The German giants had to let go their coach Julian Nagelsmann in an attempt to steer the ship in the right direction.
The Uefa Champions League quarter final first leg between Manchester City and Bayern Munich, will be a clash between an unstoppable force vs an immovable object, when the two titans collide at the Etihad stadium tonight, 11 April 2023. The home team are red hot and the former team going into tonight’s match. Manchester City are favourites on form and momentum, however, it would be silly to count out the six time European champions.
City’s scintillating form in all competitions will give Bayern Munich’s new coach Thomas Tuchel something to ponder. The Bavarians’ form is hot and cold as they have managed to win only two of their last four games and losing the other two. The Germans are not firing upfront with only seven goals in four games across competitions, when they are contrasted with the ruthless City who demolished Bayern’s country men RB Leipzig 7-0 in the second leg of their last 16 clash.
Bayern Munich are in unfamiliar territory in terms of consistency and dominating games. The visitors had to let go of their coach Julian Nagelsmann in an attempt to steer the ship in the right direction. Meanwhile, City are free scoring and putting teams to the sword, having netted 21 goals in their last four games across competitions.
The men in blue will be banking on Erling Haaland who can’t stop scoring, he already has 10 goals in this campaign. The Norwegian would seek to end his bad luck against the Bavarians, interestingly enough Haaland has played Bayern seven times and is yet to end up on the victorious side. It must be added that those losses occurred while he was still in the books of Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern Munich will pin hopes on the pace and skills of their attackers such as Sadio Mane and a familiar face at the Etihad, Leroy Sane will return to Manchester, this time donning the Bavarians shirts with hopes of winning against his former side.
The Citizens also have a record to protect and chase, the Citizens are yet to lose a home game in Europe in 24 outings, winning 22 and drawing twice since 2018. There’s a little bit of history between the two sides as Manchester City have been unstoppable against German opposition at home winning their last 10 matches against Bundesliga teams in England.
Bayern Munich is the only team from Germany to manage a win at the Etihad in 2013, ironically at the time was coached by now City’s manager Guardiola. Both clubs are also chasing domestic league titles, Bayern have a slender two points lead against second place Borussia Dortmund, with 58 points and 56 points respectively. City on the other hand are six points adrift with 67 points, from table topping Arsenal with 73 points, however, City have a game in hand.
Professional rivalry between Tuchel and Guardiola also exists dating back from Germany when Pep was incharge of Bayern and Tuchel in charge of Dortmund respectively, the top coaches like winning and competing.
Guardiola is tasked to win City’s first Uefa Champions League trophy and he came close only to lose to Tuchel’s Chelsea in the 2021 final. Pep would be looking to get one over Tuchel and avenge the final defeat against the German mentor. Tonight’s clash should be fireworks as both teams like to go forward and dominate oppositions and be ruthless in front of goals.