UEFA Champions League 2018-19: Five factors that will decide Liverpool vs Bayern Munich
The UEFA Champions League returns on Tuesday night and it returns with a big match. The Premier League 2nd placed team will take on the Bundesliga 2nd placed team on Tuesday. The Kop will host the German giants who have reached the semi-finals on 7 of the last 9 occasions.
It is a very exciting fixture as both the teams rely on their attacks than defensive capabilities. It brings to the fore some magnificent players including Mo Salah, Robert Lewandowski, Thiago Alcantara, Sadio Mane, among others. Both the teams have some great young players in their ranks including Goretzka, Gnabry, Robertson, and Trent Alexander-Arnold. As big a fixture it is, there are many prematch facts worth knowing.
The biggest concern in an away tie is to score an away goal. It is a welcome advantage for any team. However, the visitors here, Bayern Munich, haven't scored a single goal at Anfield in three games. One thing that the German heavyweights would like to continue is their unbeaten run in this season's Champions League. But little do they know, that they are facing a team who is on an unbeaten run of their own, flawless in their last 19 home games in Europe.
With these facts revealed, we move on to our main concern. Here are five factors which we think could decide this fixture.
#5 Liverpool are the more vigorous side coming into Anfield
Fatigue is one of the most important factors in midweek games. With the cup games and league games already closely packed and now the European fixtures sandwiched in between, the teams have to rotate in order to keep their players energized. Teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona are suffering from fixture congestions.
Barcelona faces Lyon, Sevilla, and Madrid in a space of 10 days. Real Madrid will face Barcelona twice, once in CDR and then in the league, followed by the second leg against Ajax, all within a week.
Liverpool, in this case, has been very lucky. Already out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, they only have to focus on the league and European fixtures. Their last league game was 10 days ago against Bournemouth and they have not stepped on the pitch after that. They won comfortably against them by a margin of 3-0.
Bayern Munich hasn't been very lucky with it though. The Bavarians faced Hertha in DFB Cup and then Schalke in a space of two days. Then one week later which is two days back, they faced Augsburg away from home, sweating to win 3-2. There is no prize for guessing who has more energy coming into the game. Liverpool has been practicing for the game for the past 10 odd days, Bayern is looking to catch a break.