Trailing by one goal following last month's first leg in Rome, Bayern Munich finds themselves in a precarious position as they aim to overturn Lazio's lead in the Champions League last-16 showdown on Tuesday.
The Serie A side, buoyed by their narrow advantage, are on the cusp of a first quarter-final appearance in two decades. Meanwhile, the German juggernauts, having made the quarter-finals for three consecutive years, are relentlessly pursuing a seventh European crown.
Match Preview:
Bayern Munich's journey through Group A seemed like an autumn stroll, but their path hit a snag at Stadio Olimpico, suffering a 1-0 defeat. The turning point of the closely contested encounter came with Dayot Upamecano's red card and the subsequent penalty converted by Lazio's captain, Ciro Immobile. Compounded by the news of manager Thomas Tuchel's impending departure, Bayern faces mounting pressure to salvage their season.
The Bavarians' recent form has been erratic, with a mere one win in their last five matches, raising doubts about their ability to defend their title. With domestic silverware slipping away, Bayern's focus now shifts to Champions League redemption. However, history is not on their side, as they have been eliminated from their last seven ties after losing the first leg.
Lazio, on the other hand, entered the clash with confidence, backed by Immobile's crucial penalty. Their journey through Group E was marked by resilience, epitomized by Ivan Provedel's late equalizer against Atletico Madrid. Despite their mixed away form in Serie A, Lazio's strong showing in European competitions and recent victories over city rivals Roma in the Coppa Italia underscore their potential threat to Bayern's aspirations.
Team News:
Bayern will be without the suspended Upamecano, while Lazio's Immobile aims to extend his European goal-scoring record. Both sides will be bolstered by the return of key players, setting the stage for a compelling encounter.
Prediction and Insights:
Out of 3 previous meetings, Bayern München have won 2 matches while Lazio won 1. No matches between them have ended in a draw.
Previous matches between Bayern München and Lazio have averaged 3 goals.
Coming into this game, Bayern München has picked up 10 points from the last 5 games, both home and away. That's 2 points per game on average. BTTS has landed in just 2 of those games. Bayern München has scored 6 times in the last 5 fixtures.
Coming into this game, Lazio has picked up 9 points from the last 5 games, both home and away. That's 1.8 points per game on average. BTTS has landed in just 1 of those games. Lazio has scored 5 times in the last 5 fixtures.
Find the link here: https://www.msport.com/gh/web/sports/Soccer/International_Clubs_UEFA_Champions_League/Bayern_Munich_vs_Lazio/sr:match:46295665?KMA
