How are Bayern Munich changing to neutralise Inter strength? | OneFootball

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany pulled a surprise on Inter in the Champions League quarter-final, as he seems to have shifted his tactics to counter Simone Inzaghi’s strengths.

It kicks off at the Allianz Arena at 20.00 UK time (19.00 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

The second leg will be at San Siro on April 16.

The Bundesliga giants are missing several key players, including Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies, Manuel Neuer, Kingsley Coman, Dayot Upamecano, Hiroki Ito, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Tarek Buchmann.

When Musiala had been out of action before, Kompany tended to pick veteran Thomas Muller in his place.

However, just three days after it was announced that Muller would not be offered a new contract and was therefore leaving the club this summer, he was left out of the starting XI.

ROME, ITALY – FEBRUARY 13: Alessio Romagnoli of SS Lazio compete for the ball with Thomas Muller of Bayern Munchen during a press conference ahead of their UEFA Champions League match against SS Lazio and Bayern Munchen at Formello sport centre on February 13, 2024 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)

Instead, Raphael Guerreiro is chosen to start.

His position remains to be seen, because while UEFA put Bayern Munich in a 3-4-3 formation, many others suggest it will remain a 4-2-3-1, albeit with a few tweaks.

This is to counter Inter’s 3-5-2 formation and specifically to put someone man-marking Hakan Calhanoglu, the fulcrum of the Nerazzurri midfield.

It could be Guerreiro dropping deeper to fight it out with Calhanoglu, helping Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka.

Guerreiro is usually a left-back or in a more advanced left-sided role, but can also work more centrally in midfield, so if he is part of the ‘attacking’ trio supporting Harry Kane, he is a very defensive option.

Bayern Munich options

Bayern Munich (3-4-3): Urbig; Stanisic, Dier, Kim; Laimer, Goretzka, Kimmich, Guerreiro; Olise, Kane, Sané

OR

Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1): Urbig; Laimer, Dier, Kim, Stanisic; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Guerreiro, Sané; Kane

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Carlos Augusto; Lautaro Martinez, Thuram