Kyle Walker for Manuel Akanji, Bernardo Silva for Riyad Mahrez – Predicted XI: Man City vs Bayern Munich (Champions League Quarter-Final First-Leg)

Manchester City host German champions FC Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening in the first-leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

Following a crucial weekend in the Premier League title race, where Manchester City breezed past a relegation-threatened Southampton side and table-toppers Arsenal dropped points at Anfield, Pep Guardiola’s side turn their attention to European action as they continue their search for the club’s first Champions League trophy.

Prior to the encounter, Pep Guardiola was once again asked how much he wants to win Europe’s premier club competition, to which he responded:

“I definitely want to, but you have to earn it. People always say I’m here to win the Champions League. My dream is to keep trying to win all the competitions and here we are again in the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.”

The Blues arrive at the game in impressive form, winning their previous eight games via an aggregate score of 31-3, and the last time Manchester City failed to win was their trip to Leipzig in late February.

As for Munich, they have had a chaotic few weeks.

Despite winning every game in this season’s Champions League and topping the Bundesliga, Julian Nagelsman was dismissed in favour of fellow German coach, Thomas Tuchel – who bested Pep Guardiola in the 2021 FA-Cup semi-final and Champions League final.

The German Champions have been struck with injuries recently however, with the trio of Lucas Hernandez, Manuel Neuer and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting all missing from the travelling squad announced on Monday afternoon.

Bayern Munich confirm 22-man travelling squad to face Manchester City in Champions League quarter-final clash

Since Thomas Tuchel’s arrival last month, the Bavarians have climbed to the summit of the Bundesliga with a 4-2 win over Dortmund, but were also rather shockingly dumped out of the DFB-Pokal when they fell to a 2-1 home defeat against SC Freiburg.

Ahead of the meeting between two of Europe’s best coaches, here is how we predict Manchester City will line-up against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final first-leg.

Predicted XI

Ederson will start in goal.

Despite not playing at the weekend, we expect Kyle Walker to return to the starting XI to combat Bayern Munich’s pace out wide from the likes of Kingsley Coman, Sadio Mane, Serge Gnabry and former Manchester City star Leroy Sane.

John Stones seems undroppable at the moment with his impressive form, and we expect him to partner Ruben Dias at the heart of Manchester City’s defence.

With limited options at left-back following the departure of Joao Cancelo and the lack of trust in summer signing Sergio Gomez, Nathan Ake will undoubtedly complete the Blues’ back-four.

Once again, Rodri will start at the base of Manchester City’s midfield as the Spaniard’s world-class season just gets better week-on-week.

Ahead of him, we expect Kevin De Bruyne to start. Big nights require big players, and they don’t come much bigger than the Belgian, who scored the only goal in last season’s Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid.

Partnering De Bruyne is a coin-flip. Pep Guardiola opted for Ilkay Gundogan in the last Champions League tie and we suspect he will do the same against Bayern Munich.

The German gives City immense control in the centre of the park, and against the likes of Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, the battle in midfield could be where the game is won or lost. However, one would not be shocked if Bernardo Silva gets the call-up, too.

In the final third, the first choice is obvious. As impressive as Julian Alvarez has been, Erling Haaland has to start. The Norweigan was brought in for nights like these at the Etihad Stadium and to the surprise of nobody produced the goods last time out under the lights, scoring five of his 44 goals this season.

Out-wide, we expect Jack Grealish to keep his place on the left as result of his world-class form since the conclusion of the World Cup in Qatar. Grealish may be up against familiar opposition as Manchester City loanee Joao Cancelo started Bayern’s last game on the right-side of Thomas Tuchel’s defence.

Finally, Riyad Mahrez, Julian Alvarez and Bernardo Silva have all presented their cases for the final spot in Manchester City’s attacking line-up. Both Mahrez and Alvarez have been impressive of late, producing great goal contribution numbers.

However, we believe Pep Guardiola will play it more conservative and choose Bernardo Silva for Manchester City’s right side. Similar to Gundogan, the Portugal international provides more control than the other options and with the game still not finished after the final whistle on Tuesday night, Guardiola doesn’t need to ‘throw the kitchen sink’ at it just yet.

Starting XI: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Ake; Rodri, De Bruyne, Gundogan; Bernardo, Haaland, Grealish.

Subsitutes: Ortega, Carson, Lewis, Laporte, Akanji, Gomez, Phillips, Perrone, Mahrez, Alvarez, Palmer.