Champions League - Exciting draw for Bayern: Mbappé & Co. possible again
After their dominant group win in the Champions League, FC Bayern are eagerly awaiting the draw for the round of 16. Following the conclusion of the group stage, there are six possible opponents for Munich in the first knockout round, including three from Italy. As group winners, the German soccer champions could be drawn against Italian champions SSC Napoli, last year's finalists Inter Milan or Lazio Roma next Monday (12.00 noon) at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon.
Another clash with Paris Saint-Germain is also possible. Bayern also beat France's top team led by star striker Kylian Mbappé, who finished second in Group F behind Borussia Dortmund, in the round of 16 last season. Bayern's other potential opponents are FC Porto and PSV Eindhoven. Group opponents FC Copenhagen and RB Leipzig were eliminated from the draw as Munich's opponents. A German clash would only be possible from the quarter-finals onwards.
"We've done our duty. Of course, we want to reach the quarter-finals now," Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said after the 1-0 win in the final group game at Manchester United on Tuesday: "Anyone can win the tournament from the quarter-finals onwards."
The round of 16 will be played in the new year. The first legs will take place on February 13/14/20/21, the second legs on March 5/6/12/13. As the group winners, Bayern will first play away from home.
The possible opponents:
PSV Eindhoven: The Dutch side are back in the knockout phase for the first time since the 2015/16 season. The league leaders from the Netherlands are captained by former Gladbach player Luuk de Jong. The team also includes Malik Tillman, who is on loan from Bayern. In eight European Cup matches, there have been six FCB wins, one draw and one PSV victory.
SSC Napoli: The Italian champions led by striker Victor Osimhen have fallen short of expectations this season and are currently only sixth in the table. Defender Minjae Kim would be reunited with his employers from last year. Bayern and Napoli have met four times in the European Cup so far.
Inter Milan: Last year's finalists were Munich's group opponents. Yann Sommer and Benjamin Pavard are two ex-Bayern players in the squad of the Italian league leaders. FCB have been the better team so far, with five wins from nine matches (one draw, three defeats).
Lazio Rome: The team led by top scorer Ciro Immobile is currently only tenth in the Italian table. Bayern and Lazio have met twice in the Champions League so far. The Munich side won both encounters in the round of 16 of the 2020/21 season.
Paris Saint-Germain: The PSG team led by superstar Kylian Mbappé is certainly not the opponent of choice. It would be a reunion for Munich with former Bayern record signing Lucas Hernández. Munich's overall record in the European Cup is eight wins to France's seven.
FC Porto: Portugal's champions, led by veteran defender Pepe, currently occupy second place in the league. FC Bayern and Porto have met seven times in the European Cup so far: Bayern won three games, the duel ended in a draw twice and the Portuguese team won twice.
Bayern squad group standings Season statistics Statistics handbook Champions League Round of 16 draw info
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Source: www.stern.de
