11 April 2023 , 07:00
872
0
Manchester City host Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday evening with both sides among the favourites to go on and lift the trophy.
City have never won the tournament before, but are flying high after putting seven past RB Leipzig in their last Champions League clash. Pep Guardiola's side then followed it up by beating Burnley 6-0 in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and defeating both Liverpool and Southampton 4-1 in the Premier League.
Bayern Munich, meanwhile, have beaten a number of European giants on their way to the quarter-finals and will be hoping to add City to that list. They beat Barcelona and Inter Milan both home and away in the group stage, before knocking out Paris Saint-Germain in the last-16.
And new boss Thomas Tuchel, who took over the reins from Julian Nagelsmann last month, will be looking to get one over on Guardiola once again. Tuchel's Chelsea side notably beat Guardiola's City in the 2021 Champions League final and their quarter-final clash should be a fascinating tactical battle.
Phil Foden is set to miss the game, with the 22-year-old still recovering from having his appendix removed, while Bayern will be without top scorer Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting who is out of action with a knee problem.
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
"It's an honour to be here, against an elite club like Bayern Munich," Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference. "We are happy to be here. You have to deserve it.
"Six, seven years ago when I arrived here - 'you are here to win the Champions League'. It comes every season. We tried every season but there are teams you face who are good too, and they want to win it too.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and new Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel (sampics/Corbis via Getty Images)"We want to try but that doesn't mean we're going to win. Jack Nicklaus, how many majors did he play in his career? 120? How many did he win? Eighteen - wow. He lost more than he won.
"Michael Jordan, the best athlete, won six NBA titles. How many years did he play? Sixteen? He lost more than he won.
"These games are so difficult. The important thing is to be here, compete well and do our best. If I lose, I lose. I’m not perfect."
Predicted Manchester City line-up: Ederson; Stones, Akanji, Dias, Ake; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish
Predicted Bayern Munich line-up: Sommer; Pavard, De Ligt, Upamecano, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Coman, Musiala, Mane; Muller