Champions League contenders Bayern Munich travel to Austria on Wednesday to take on Brenden Aaronson and RB Salzburg in the first leg of their round of 16 clash. The Bavarians, coming off a shocking loss in the Bundesliga to Bochum, are the heavy favorite to rebound with a comfortable victory on the road. But the hosts, featuring German talent and former Bayern youth player Karim Adeyemi, have other plans, aiming to play giant killers in what will be their first ever UCL knockout stage match.
Here’s our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Wednesday, Feb. 16 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Red Bull Arena — Salzburg, Austria
- TV and live stream: Paramount+.
- Odds: Salzburg +625; Draw +420; Bayern -260 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured Game | Salzburg vs. Bayern Munich
Team news
Salzburg: Lots of injuries for the hosts as Bernardo (knee), Bryan Okoh (knee), Sekou Koita (knee) and Luka Sucic (match fitness) are all out. Sucic is the only regular starter, having appeared in all six of the group stage games, so he will be missed. But this team has plenty of depth to deal with his absence, putting even more pressure on Nicolas Copaldo to be a creative engine.
Bayern: Manuel Neuer is out with a knee injury, while fellow starters Alphonso Davies (heart) and Leon Goretza (knee) also miss out. Meanwhile, Lucas Hernandez is a card away from serving a suspension. As a result of the absences, Sven Ulreich is expected to start in goal, while the backline will likely be Benjamin Pavard, Niklas Sule and Hernandez. If not Sule, expect Dayot Upamecano to be there. Goretzka missing out will likely provide minutes for Corentin Tolisso or Marcel Sabitzer.
Prediction
It’s much too easy in the end as Bayern dominate the ball, the chances and the scoreboard, putting more than a foot into the quarterfinals. Pick: Bayern 4, Salzburg 1