Fighting for the Semifinals: Bayern Munich will take on Villareal in the second leg of a Champions League quarter-final matchup Tuesday afternoon. Villareal shockingly won the first leg 1-0 in their home stadium and now have to defend their lead on the road in the lion’s den.
The match will kick off Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. inside the Allianz Arena in Munchen, Germany.
Bayern Munich vs Villareal Stats
Bayern Munich Stats
The team was the overwhelming favorite in this matchup before their surprising 1-0 loss in the opening leg. Bayern has built a reputation as a worldwide power because of its relentless attack, speed and flair on the wings, and clinical finishing ability inside the box. Their dominance has also coincided with the rise of striker Robert Lewandowski, who has ascended from an all-world player to a perennial Ballon d’Or candidate.
The German giant’s downfall in their losses has been a porous defensive line, especially in transition; Villareal did not need to use the change in possession to create their goal, a sweet pullback across the penalty spot, but will always have the threat of the counterattack goal in the second leg.
Bayern won its weekend league match against FC Augsburg 1-0 to get back on track and only needed one goal to send the match into extra time and, potentially, penalties. A win by two or more goals would send them into the semifinals, where they would play the winner of Liverpool and Benfica— most Champions League betting odds favor them to do exactly that.
Villareal Stats
Villareal shocked the world with their 1-0 win in the opening leg and are now playing with house money heading into the second leg. They are led by manager Unai Emery, who is extremely adept in European competitions and just helped the Spanish side win the Europa League last season.
Villareal has a striker in Gerard Moreno that is not as prolific of a goalscorer as Bayern’s Lewandowski. Still, he is capable of finishing his chances and will always need to be accounted for by the German defense. Fellow attacker Arnaut Danjuma has scored just as many league goals as Moreno this season and is responsible for breaking the deadlock in the first leg of the tie.
Villareal tied its weekend match with Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, 1-1 after internally rotating the squad to allow major players a rest period before they face Bayern once again.
Bayern Munich vs Villareal Betting Trends
Champions League odds heavily favor Bayern to get the job done in their home stadium Tuesday afternoon; the German champions have won their last three league matches and defeated FC Salzburg 7-1 in their most recent Champions League match before the 1-0 loss to Villareal.
On the other side, Villareal’s only win in its last four matches was the one against Bayern— outside of that, they have lost two and drawn one, though they have won consecutive Champions League picks games by a combined score of 4-0.
Bayern Munich vs Villareal Betting Predictions
There is a very strong chance that Villareal sets out with the intention of sitting back and defending from a low block, ultimately hoping the game ends in a 0-0 draw. This is easier said than done, however, as Bayern specializes in creating goals from any situation and has the talent to do so.
The biggest worry for Villareal fans should be that teams who concede after prioritizing a shutout often have trouble getting back into the game on offense because their minds were not there earlier in the match.
Bayern can be expected to press high up the pitch and try to win the ball back in the attacking third and send tons of bodies into the box. Villareal still has the advantage, but there is a long road in front of them.
Conclusion
This matchup was viewed as one of the most lopsided contests in the quarter-final round. Although the first leg ended in a shock-win for Villareal, they are likely to be behind by at least one goal at the end of regulation and ultimately bow out of the competition.
Bayern has too much attacking potential to be shut out two times in a row, especially with their chances in the Champions League on the line.
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