Ace Football previews the Champions League match between Lokomotiv Moscow and Bayern Munich, and offers the latest betting tips, odds, line-ups, and team news.
Lokomotiv Moscow and Bayern Munich lock horns in the Russian capital for their second match of Group A in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
The hosts started their third consecutive campaign in the competition last week by holding RB Salzburg to a 2-2 draw. But while they were pleased with that point in Austria, Bayern are a much bigger fish to fry. Home advantage may count for little unless Lokomotiv have their A-game on.
The titleholders arrive on the back of an empathic 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid in their opener and plan to inflict similar misery on their Russian hosts.
Lokomotiv Moscow Form & Stats
Marko Nikolic’s side, as previously mentioned, have embarked on their third successive Champions League campaign. Credit must be given to them on that account. Although their record in the competition is a concern, with 10 defeats in their last 13 group-stage games (W2 D1).
On the domestic front, however, Lokomotiv are seasonal challengers for the Russian Premier League. After winning the title in 2017/18, they’ve finished runners-up in the last two seasons and have begun the current one strongly as well.
But an unsettling 2-1 home loss to Rotor Volgograd, who sit second-bottom in the standings, was an unwelcome setback. It ended the club’s four-match winning streak and cost them lose ground in the title race.
Nonetheless, Nikolic declared in Monday’s pre-match conference that his entire squad is available and set victory as the target against ‘the best team in Europe’.
Key Team Stats
- Lost 10 defeats of their last 13 Champions League games (W2 D1).
- Have conceded two or more goals in their last six Champions League games.
- Over 2.5 goals in their last five home Champions League games.
Bayern Munich Form & Stats
That horrific 4-1 loss to Hoffenheim on September 27 is already a distant memory, with Bayern responding by winning their following six games in all competitions.
The European champions began the defense of their title last week by thrashing Atletico Madrid 4-0. Then, if that wasn’t enough already, they went one better over the weekend by beating Eintracht Frankfurt 5-0 in the Bundesliga.
Hansi Flick, meanwhile, confirmed in his pre-match conference that Serge Gnabry is ‘an option to start’ in Russia after a positive COVID-19 test forced him out of the club’s last two games. The Bayern coach also declared everyone, aside from Tanguy Nianzou (thigh) and Alphonso Davies (ankle), as fit.
The Bavarians are gunning for a 13th consecutive Champions League win in Moscow and, with a Robert Lewandowski-inspired squad in form, they are the favorites to claim all three points in this Group A encounter.
Key Team Stats
- Won their last 12 Champions League games.
- Scored 23 goals in their last six games in all competitions.
- Scored three or more goals in seven of their last eight Champions League games.
Team News
Lokomotiv Moscow: N/A
Bayern Munich: Alphonso Davies & Tanguy Nianzou (out).
Predicted Line-ups
(Note: The image will change to the official XI once they’re both announced)
Top goalscorers in the last five Champions League games
Head-To-Head Record
Lokomotiv Moscow and Bayern Munich have met twice previously in the Champions League, managing one win apiece.
Match Facts
Betting Tips
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