Liverpool host Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie at Anfield on Tuesday night.
The two sides both come into the game sitting second in their respective leagues, with Liverpool behind Manchester City in the Premier League and Bayern Munich behind Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
It was 1981 when the side’s last met outside of the European Super Cup – a 1-1 draw at the Olympic Stadium in Munich. Meanwhile, the last meeting between the two sides at Anfield came earlier that year, which resulted in a 0-0 draw.
Liverpool and Bayern Munich have only met each other twice at Anfield in the European Cup, with both ending in a 0-0 draw – which may be the safe bet for this upcoming fixture.
The Champions League betting suggests Liverpool are just favourites, but Bayern are European veterans and know how to navigate these rounds incredibly well.
Domestically, Liverpool have had a difficult start to 2019. Jurgen Klopp’s side have won three of their seven games, with two defeats and two draws – losing to Manchester City in the Premier League and Wolves in the FA Cup.
Bayern, on the other hand, have had a sensational start to 2019. Niko Kovac’s side have won all six of their Bundesliga games this calendar year, with their latest coming against Schalke, 3-1, last Saturday. Interestingly,
The Germans are yet to keep a clean sheet in 2019 so far, conceding eight goals in their six games. This suggests that there will be chances for Liverpool to get at the Bayern defence, with the likes of Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane set to line up as Liverpool’s front three.
Liverpool have a slightly worse defensive record, conceding nine goals in 2019 – which included shipping three goals in a 4-3 win over Crystal Palace. The Reds also lost 2-1 to Manchester City and 2-1 to Wolves.
When it comes to how they fared in their Champions League groups: Liverpool won all three of their home games, whilst losing all three of their away games – finishing second in their group to PSG. The Reds scored nine and conceded seven in their six games. Bayern, however, topped their group with four wins and two draws. They only conceded five goals in their six group games, scoring 15.
Considering the two team’s defensive records of late, we could be in for an open, entertaining, game at Anfield on Tuesday with plenty of chances for either side.
Predicted score: 1-1
