Bayern, before a procedure against Lazio

The Bayern faces the return of the knockout stages of the Champions League with the security of 1-4 one way against Lazio, allowing him to rotate players. For the reigning European champion, the match against the Italians passes for a mere formality. The doors to the quarterfinals are open for the team of Polish striker Robert Lewandowski after a first leg that did not have much history.

Although the coach of the German club does not want to underestimate his rival, Hans flick could introduce rotations to give minutes to footballers like the French defender Lucas Hernandez, who started Saturday’s 3-1 win over Werder Bremen. After this victory, Bayern Munich established themselves in the leadership of the German league, distancing second-placed RB Leipzig by five points, so they can afford rotations for the next matches.

One of the great promises of the German club, the 18-year-old Jamal Musiala, who already started and scored a goal in the first leg in Rome, could repeat in the second leg. Also the spanish Marc Roca and Javi Martínez, unusual in Flick schemes, they could enjoy minutes, since they participated this season in two and six Champions League games, respectively. Among the starters of the Bavarian team, the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, with a cold, and the French attacker Kingsley Coman, with a muscle pain, did not train this Tuesday, so the German coach will decide on their participation on the same match day, hours before it.

Accumulating the victories during the group stage (4-0 against Atlético de Madrid or 2-6 against Salzburg), the current European champion relied on the four goals of his star striker, Robert Lewandowski, and in all three of the emerging Kingsley Eat to finish undefeated and easily access the round of 16. The Frenchman has thus become the right eye of his coach. “For me he is one of the best in the world in his position,” said Flick. The 24-year-old French player and at Bayern since 2015, claims to be “in the best moment of his career.” Two consecutive ruptures of the ligaments in his left ankle in 2018 caused him to miss the World Cup won by France, but the talented attacker has 6 goals and 13 assists this season in all competitions.

For his part, the Lazio coach, Simone inzaghi, affirmed that his team will go out to “enjoy” the game despite the result of the first leg due to the importance of his “first participation in the round of 16 in 20 years.” Despite the score in the duel played at the Olimpico in Rome, Inzaghi highlighted the results of his team in the Champions League: «Our mission was to reach the final phase and we have achieved it. We have worked hard to have the right to play games like this. We want to do it well.

Lazio, seventh in Serie A with one game less, suffered on Friday to defeat the bottom of the Italian league, Crotone, 3-2 with a saving goal in the 84th minute from Ecuadorian Felipe Caicedo.