UEFA Women’s Champions League Preview: Atlético Madrid Femenino vs. FC Bayern Frauen

Bayern Munich face Liga F side Atlético Madrid in the fifth round of the Women’s Champions League at Centro Deportivo Alcalá de Henares.

Bayern Munich Frauen will continue their Champions League league phase campaign with a game against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday. The Frauen-Bundesliga leaders are targeting a top-four finish for an automatic qualification to the quarter-finals.

With the excellent 3-1 win away at PSG, Bayern confirmed to finish inside the top 12, which will be enough for the knockout stages. Atléti also secured a big win on matchday four with a 4-0 victory over Twente.

Victor Alba’s side missed out on climbing to third in Liga F when they drew 2-2 with Sevilla at home on Saturday. The four-time league winners had to come from two goals behind to salvage a point.

Meanwhile, Bayern extended their winning streak to 11 matches with a 5-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. Klara Bühl continued her world-class season with a goal and two assists on her 26th birthday. The winger is already directly involved in 23 goals in only 16 Frauen-Bundesliga and Champions League appearances.

Her only Champions League goal of the campaign came in the shocking 7-1 defeat in Barcelona, but the 25-year-old leads the assists rank with five. Pernille Harder is the only Bayern player to score more than a single goal in this season’s competition.

Apart from Sarah Zadrazil and Lena Oberdorf’s long-term injuries, José Barcala is expected to have his full squad. Lea Schuller missed Germany’s Nations League games against Spain, including the 3-0 defeat at Atlético’s Metropolitano stadium, but she was an unused sub in Frankfurt.

The first-ever competitive meeting between Atlético Madrid Femenino and FC Bayern Frauen will take place at the Deportivo Alcalá de Henares on Wednesday. Barcala’s side will end the league phase of the Champions League at home against Vålerenga next week.

Predicted Lineups

Atlético Madrid: Lola ©; Alexia, Lauren, Lloris, Medina; Garcia, Boe Risa; Luany, Iannuzi, Otermín; Sarriegi

Bayern: Mahmutovic; Gwinn, Viggósdóttir ©, Eriksson, Kett; Caruso, Tanikawa; Dallmann, Harder, Bühl; Damnjanović