Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen preview: Team news and predicted lineups
| Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images |
In a much-anticipated clash, Bayern Munich welcome double winners Bayer Leverkusen to the Allianz Arena on Tuesday night for a DFB-Pokal round of sixteen clash.
After losing 3-0 to Leverkusen in February, the Bavarians dominated their last meeting in September, but Vincent Kompany's men were held to a 1-1 draw.
Bayern are unbeaten in their last five home games against Leverkusen and will be keen to keep it that way. However, they will be without Harry Kane, who suffered a torn muscle in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund.
While admitting that Kane can't be replaced "one-to-one", Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was upbeat at Monday's press conference, expressing confidence in his squad.
“Harry has scored 20 goals. You can't replace that. But we have players who score goals, including Jamal [Musiala]. We'll have a solution. We have enough players who can fulfil the role, even if you can't replace his goals one-to-one,” Kompany told reporters.
The Bayern coach also said he's wary of the threat posed by Leverkusen.
"You can look at the last 10 or 15 games against Leverkusen. They're a team that can press really high. They play very aggressively, very compactly. In the first half of the season, they've been very compact and very flexible in their system. They are very variable. We have to be alert and play to our strengths."
Leverkusen have been more inconsistent than in their double-winning campaign, but should have plenty of confidence going into the game, having won their last three competitive matches and most recently beating Union Berlin 2-1.
Xabi Alonso can take heart from the fact that he hasn't lost to the Bavarians in his time in charge, recording two wins and two draws. When the Spaniard led Leverkusen to a 3-0 win over Bayern in February, he did so without a traditional number nine, and he could do the same on Tuesday, although Patrik Schick has been in fine form up front.
In terms of absentees, Bayern will be without Kane as well as Hiroki Ito, Joao Palhinha, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Josip Stanisic. A late decision will be made on Serge Gnabry's availability after he missed Saturday's win over Dortmund with a knee problem.
Leverkusen will be missing Amine Adli, Victor Boniface and Jonas Hofmann.
Predicted Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen lineups:
Bayern Munich: Neuer - Laimer, Upamecano, Kim, Davies - Kimmich, Goretzka - Olise, Musiala, Coman - Müller.
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky - Mukiele, Tah, Tapsoba, Hincapie - Palacios, Xhaka - Wirtz, Grimaldo - Frimpong, Tella.
