Bayern Munich vs Manchester United Preview

After a one-year absence, Manchester United will return to the UEFA Champions League group stage this Wednesday when they travel to Munich to face German champions Bayern Munich.

Both sides have a history in this competition, with the iconic 1999 final between these sides, which was dramatically won in stoppage-time by United, one of the historic tales of this competition.

However, Bayern have been the stronger of the two in recent times, knocking the Red Devils out of the competition in 2010 and 2014. They also come into this tie in superior form, having won three out of their opening five competitive games this season.

Meanwhile, this is the first time both sides have been drawn in the same group since 2001, and this is a stage the hosts usually excel in. The Bavarians have won each of their last 25 UCL home group stage matches.

That forms part of an overall 34-match unbeaten streak at this stage (W31, D3), a record Thomas Tuchel will be tasked with extending against an opposition they’ve never lost to on home soil (W3, D2).

Meanwhile, Man United travel to Munich low in confidence, having been beaten 3-1 by Brighton at the weekend. That loss was their third loss in five games this season (W2).

Alarms bells are ringing all over Old Trafford, and Erik ten Hag is now increasingly under pressure to turn the tide around. He has not been helped by injury and suspension to at least six of his first team names, with defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka the latest player to join a growing injury list.

Things don’t look good for the Red Devils, and a trip to face one of Europe’s elite arrives at a time when they are leaking goals at an alarming rate, having conceded ten in their last four matches (W1, L3).

They have lost their two away games this season by a two-goal margin, a run that places them as huge underdogs to get a positive result against Bayern.