It’s a battle between the English champions Manchester City and the German giants Bayern Munich as they face off in a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal battle at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on April 12 (India). Neither side lost any games in the groups stages, and successfully dominated most of their matches.
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Manchester City–Bayern Munich
Manchester City had beaten Southampton 4-1 earlier, catching up with league leaders Arsenal in a thrilling Premier League title race. The result ensured their eighth straight win, a clear indication that the Cityzens are going all out for the EPL trophy.
Bayern Munich, on the other hand, have been a dominant force and have proven threatening in the Champions League. They seem to have found their form this season and there’s no saying that they won’t spring a surprise win away despite City’s impressive home record.
Both sides are firm favourites to win this season’s UEFA Champions League although only one of the two sides will eventually progress to the semis, much to the relief of other opposition sides.
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Match preview
Manchester City will be relying heavily on star attacker Erling Haaland as he continues his excellent form. The 22-year-old Norweigian forward will play a key role along with Jack Grealish if City are to contain Bayern. Haaland currently has 30 Premier League goals this season.
City played Bayern a few times during their initial Champions League years, managing to win two of their three meetings at the Etihad Stadium. Their only defeat at home was when manager Pep Guardiola coached the German side.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich are at the top of the Bundesliga, but have not been too convincing in recent games in the Bundesliga. This could put pressure on manager Thomas Tuchel to device an effective strategy against an English side known for scoring goals at will.
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Head-to-head record
In terms of head-to-head records, City currently hold a slight edge over Bayern, managing five wins from nine games against the latter’s four. Interestingly, they have not played out any draws yet. Following is Manchester City and Bayern Munich’s head-to-head record.
- Manchester City wins: 5
- Bayern Munich wins: 4
- Draws: 0
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Benfica vs Inter Milan prediction
Considering Manchester City’s stellar form in the English Premier League, Bayern Munich understand that they will have to come out all guns blazing if they are to defeat their English opponents. Manchester City are on an eight-game winning run in all competitions, and remain unbeaten in each of their last 12 games since losing 0-1 away at Tottenham in the Premier League on February 5. The Cityzens have amassed 31 goals in the eight wins, with an average 3.88 goals per match.
Bayern have been alternating between wins and losses in their last five matches. They lost 2-1 to Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and another at home to Freiburg in the DFB Pokal. However, they defeated Freiburg 1-0 away. City are predicted to win against Bayern.
Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Bayern Munich
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Date, kick-off time, venue
The UEFA Champions League match between Manchester City and Bayern Munich will be played at 8pm BST on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 and 12:30 am (IST) on April 12, 2023. The match will be played at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England.
