12-00 am: Formations: Julian Naglesmann’s side has gone with an attacking 3-2-2-2-1 shape, while Villarreal has also changed its shape from a conventional 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 formation.

11-45 pm: FORM – Bayern has won 12 of its last 13 UEFA Champions League matches in Munich and should it draw or lose tonight, it will be the first time since 2018/19 that it has played two successive Champions League matches without a victory.

11-30 pm: Head-to-Head: Bayern Munich vs Villarreal overall head-to-head record

The teams have met three times with Bayern claiming two wins to Villarreal’s one from last week.

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Bayern won’t play badly twice against Villarreal, Nagelsmann promises

Breakdown of the results

• Villarreal 1-0 Bayern Munich (April 6, 2022)
• Bayern Munich 3-1 Villarreal (November 23, 2011)
• Villarreal 0-2 Bayern Munich (September 15, 2022)

11-15 pm: Starting Lineups out!

Bayern Munich Starting XI: Manuel Neuer (GK)(C), Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Hernandez, Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Kingsley Coman, Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane, Musiala, Robert Lewandowski.

Villarreal Starting XI: Geronimo Rulli (GK), Juan Foyth, Pau Torres, Raul Albiol (C), Pervis Estuphinan, Etienne Capoue, Dani Parejo, Coquelin, Giovani Lo Celso, Arnaut Danjuma, Gerard Moreno

MATCH PREVIEW

Villarreal coach Unai Emery is happy his side is making its presence felt in the Champions League but said it is not satisfied with only reaching the quarter-finals as it prepares for the second leg at Bayern Munich.

After eliminating former champion Juventus in the last 16 and beating Bayern 1-0 in the first leg of the last eight tie, the former Paris Saint Germain and Arsenal manager believes his team is ready to deliver another shock.

“Getting here is fine, but I want to get through,” Emery told a news conference on Monday. “That’s why we are facing this match naturally, understanding that it will be at maximum difficulty but convinced that we belong here.”

After complete domination in the first leg when Villarreal took the game to Bayern and should have won by a larger margin given its chances, Emery believes it will need to do even more in Germany to beat the six time European champion.

“We will have to be perfect,” he said. “It will be a very different game from the first leg. I believe it will be even more difficult. Different too from beating Juventus (3-0) in Italy.

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Bayern won’t play badly twice against Villarreal, Nagelsmann promises

“We’re going to have to be able to improve and I think it will be insufficient with what we did the other day (in the first leg).

“We will have to defend very close together and close to our box at times, but we will have to be smart and take advantage and be efficient with the opportunities we have.”

Emery dismissed the notion that Villarreal lost a golden opportunity to win the first leg by a larger margin.

“Respect for Bayern must be enormous in every way,” he said. “It will be very difficult and we must know how to respond.

“We know they’re used to scoring a lot of goals at home and that’s normal. They have respect for us but they know that if they play at their level they are favorites and they score goals. They are optimistic and feel strong at home. I get that.”

But Emery added that his players will face the challenge with pride, mainly due to the support of their fans, being from a small industrial town.

“Football is about feelings. We will have 1,500 fans that will be in Munich that will represent those who follow us, that feel part of our history and feel proud of their team and their city,” he said.

“That is something very beautiful and even more so if one sees that Vila-real is a small town. Therefore, we should be proud to play games like this and also with our options to win.”

(via REUTERS)

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