Bayern Munich are the defending Champions League winners and Manchester City are the odds on favorite to win the English Premier League. And yet -- thanks to City's former woeful ways and recent inability to win in Europe -- the two teams will meet in the group stage instead of the knockout stages. Hooray us.
Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich: Preview and TV schedule
Bayern vs. City in the group stage? That’ll do.
More from our team blogs: Bavarian Football Works Bitter and Blue
Bayern are off to a near-perfect start this season, dropping just two points in the league and winning every Cup and European match this season. They're also in sparkling form, winning their last six matches by a combined score of 14-1. For all of the consternation about Pep Guardiola and the changes he has brought to last year's treble winners, the club has adjusted just fine and this despite injuries to Holger Badstuber, Mario Gotze, Javi Martinez and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
City’s season isn’t going as well, with just three wins from six league matches, including a loss to Aston Villa over the weekend, but if there is one thing Manuel Pellegrini has changed at the club, it is their Champions League form. Of course, the sample size is absurdly small, but the Citizens’ 3-0 win at Viktoria Plzen in their opener was more convincing than City have looked in Europe for years, and has them feeling like maybe this will be the year that they qualify for the knockout stages.
Manchester City injuries and suspensions
Out: Martin Demichelis (knee)
Bayern Munich injuries and suspensions
Out: Holger Badstuber (knee), Javi Martinez (groin), Thiago Alcantara (knee)
Projected lineups
Manchester City: Joe Hart, Aleksander Kolarov, Matija Nastasic, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta, Yaya Toure, Fernandinho, Samir Nasti, Sergio Aguero, Jesus Navas, Alvaro Negredo.
Bayern Munich: Manuel Neuer, David Alaba, Dante, Jerome Boateng, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franc Ribery, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben, Mario Mandzukic.
Match Date/Time: Wednesday, 7:45 p.m. local, 2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England
TV: Fox Sports 2 (U.S.) Sky Sports 2 (UK), Sky Sport 1 (Germany)
Streaming: Fox Soccer 2Go (U.S)
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