Manchester City faces Bayern Munich in the opening leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday. The game comes with a change in head coach after Thomas Tuchel replaced Julian Nagelsmann as leader of the German giants. Bayern saw off Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16, but this tie feels different for Pep Guardiola’s City given the change in management. Tuchel previously led Chelsea to UCL success at City’s expense in Porto in 2021 and knows Guardiola’s tactics well. In addition to tactical decisions, the Germans are likely to focus on keeping things tight given their attacking concerns.
City topped Group G with 14 points from a possible 18, finishing five points ahead of Dortmund. In the round of 16, they crushed another Bundesliga side, RB Leipzig, 8-1 on aggregate, with five goals coming from the unstoppable Erling Haaland. Bayern beat PSG on the road in the group phase, finishing eight points clear of Inter Milan in second place. Nagelsmann, however, was removed during the most recent international break, which changes the complexion of this match from the time of the draw.
Besides Phil Foden, who is recovering from an appendix operation, Guardiola has a full squad available to him. Bayern will have to improvise in attack as Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting will be out with a knee issue. Serge Gnabry and Thomas Muller are both options, and Kingsley Coman is vying with Sadio Mane for a starting place. The visitors will stay in this tie for the second leg at Allianz Arena, so avoiding defeat is the primary aim.
This game promises a draw, given the history between Tuchel and Guardiola, making it tight and entertaining, leading to a tie at the end. CBS Sports Golazo Network will offer network-exclusive postgame coverage in addition to live broadcast on both CBS and Paramount+. The Champions League Quarterfinals are well underway, with intense competition for the championship title.
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