The 2023/24 Champions League season has been rekindled after a two-month break, and the first leg of the 1/8 final has been fully launched, at 4 a.m. Beijing time on February 15, Serie A powerhouse Lazio will sit at home to face the visiting Bundesliga overlord Bayern.
Bayern is a long-standing top three team in European football, creating a magical record of 38 consecutive unbeaten games in the Champions League group stage, and because the Champions League will be restructured next season, Bayern's unbeaten group stage record will be permanently preserved and no one can break it. But back in the Bundesliga, Bayern was defeated by Eintracht Frankfurt, Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen, and the initiative to win the title was ceded, which made head coach Tuchel feel huge pressure, Bayern management said that the basic condition for Tuchel to continue to coach is to win the title.
Judging from the performance of the two teams in the Champions League, Lazio won 3 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses in the group stage, and finally ranked second in the group and advanced. Bayern won 5 wins and 1 draw in the group stage and won the first place in the group. Looking at the recent form of both teams, Lazio have won just one of their last four games and are currently only 8th in Serie A, five points behind the Champions League zone. On the other hand, Bayern's recent form is not ideal, Bayern only lost one game in the first half of the season, but after the winter break, Bayern has suffered two defeats, resulting in five points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the standings and losing the initiative to compete for the title.
Judging from the value and lineup of the two teams, the Lazio team is worth 242 million euros, and the team has Anderson, Pedro, Immobile, Zaccagni, Valentine, Vecino, Alberto and other famous players. Bayern, the whole team is worth 976 million euros, nearly 4 times the value of Lazio, and the team has Muller, Sane, Kane, Koeman, Kimmich, Neuer and other stars. The sum of the two teams' value is converted into 9.2 billion yuan.
Judging from the attack and player status of the two teams, Lazio scored 28 goals and conceded 24 goals in Serie A, with average attacking ability, and in the Champions League group stage, Lazio scored 7 goals and conceded 7 goals, and a total of 12 players in the team scored, including Immobile scored 9 goals in all competitions and was the team's top scorer. Bayern, on the other hand, scored 59 goals and conceded 22 in the Bundesliga, with 17 players on the scoresheet, with Kane being the team's top scorer with 28 goals in all competitions.
Judging from the injury situation of both teams, on the Lazio side, Patrick is out due to injury, and the rest of the players are available. For Bayern, there are more injuries, Koeman, Gnabry, Laimer, Sarr, Alphonso Davies, Buchmann, Peretz will be absent due to injury.
Judging from the head-to-head record between the two teams, Lazio and Bayern met in the 2020/21 Champions League 1/8 finals, when Bayern beat Lazio home and away to advance. Lazio's attacking performance has been mediocre, with no player in the team scoring in double figures, and the team's leading scorer in the past, Inmobile has also experienced a decline in form due to age.
Bayern just lost 0-3 in the Bundesliga title battle, and the initiative in the championship is not in their hands. Bayern is missing Koeman and Gnabry in the front line, the efficiency of the attack is declining, Kane's support is decreasing, Tuchel has been controversial since taking office, and there are many rumors of his recent dismissal, this Champions League knockout game is Tuchel's redemption battle, and if he loses, he is very likely to be sacked early.