Hovering just outside the coveted top eight spots in the Champions League league phase table, Bayern Munich square up to Feyenoord at De Kuip in Wednesday's intriguing showdown.
Vincent Kompany's men strolled to a 5-1 crushing of Shakhtar Donetsk in their final European engagement of 2024, while their hosts have 10 points to their name and also occupy a playoff place.
Match preview
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Despite being the third-most prolific team in the 2024-25 Champions League behind only Barcelona (21) and Borussia Dortmund (18), 17-goal Bayern Munich have work to do if they are to avoid the rigmarole of a two-legged playoff contest to make the last-16 stage.
Kompany's troops are one point adrift of the automatic qualification spots on account of their defeats away to Aston Villa and Barcelona, which they have since responded to with three straight successes over Shakhtar, Benfica and Paris Saint-Germain.
Even without Harry Kane up to his usual tricks in the final third against Shakhtar, Kompany witnessed five different players find the back of the net, and the reigning Bundesliga champions have also been on the warpath domestically in recent weeks.
Either side of the Bundesliga's international break, Wednesday's visitors have beaten RB Leipzig, Borussia Monchengladbach, Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg in consecutive contests, thus maintaining a four-point lead over holders Bayer Leverkusen at the summit of the table.
Bayern also have an unbeaten 21st century sequence to prolong in Rotterdam this week, as since going down 2-1 to PSV Eindhoven in October 1999, the Bavarians have navigated each of their last eight Champions League games against Dutch sides without losing.
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Officially holding the title of the most entertaining team in this season's Champions League, Feyenoord come into the penultimate matchday having seen more goals in their games than any of the other 35 teams involved in the league phase.
Indeed, the Eredivisie powerhouses have struck 14 goals of their own while letting in an additional 15, and no Champions League match involving Feyenoord this season has ended with fewer than four goals being scored.
Brian Priske's side successfully fought fire with fire against Sparta Prague on December 11, triumphing 4-2 to position themselves smack-bang in the middle of the table in 18th place, although results on Tuesday could bump them further down the standings.
As Bayern excel domestically, though, Feyenoord have been found wanting over the winter period, failing to win any of their last three Eredivisie matches and only managing a 1-1 draw away to mid-table Willem II on Saturday.
That stalemate also marked the 10th game in a row that Feyenoord have failed to keep a clean sheet, a particularly bad omen before having to pit their wits against Bayern, whom they have not shared a field with since a 3-1 win for the German side in the 2001-02 group stage.
Team News
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Bayern received a positive injury update over long-term absentee Joao Palhinha before their five-goal thriller with Wolfsburg, as the Portuguese midfielder took part in partial training following a muscular issue, but a comeback on Wednesday is unrealistic.
Ankle victim Sacha Boey might also be spared despite also making strong progress in his rehabilitation, while Hiroki Ito (ankle) and Daniel Peretz (illness) remain unavailable for the time being too.
An appearance for Kane on Wednesday will see the ex-Tottenham Hotspur man play his 50th game in the Champions League, where he could become just the third English player to score in their half-century match after Wayne Rooney and Phil Foden.
As for Feyenoord, Priske's men risk welcoming Bayern to their patch with a decimated midfield, as Ramiz Zerrouki was unable to complete the full 90 minutes and joins Quinten Timber (knee) and Hwang In-beom (unspecified) on the touch-and-go list.
Jordan Lotomba (leg), Bart Nieuwkoop (hip) and Chris-Kevin Nadje (unspecified) are in the care of the doctors too, while defender David Hancko - who is being linked with Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur - missed the draw with Willem owing to illness.
However, the Rotterdam outfit have few concerns up front, where prolific frontman Santiago Gimenez is set to be flanked by Igor Paixao and Anis Hadj Moussa once again.
Feyenoord possible starting lineup:
Wellenreuther; Bueno, Trauner, Hancko, Smal; Stengs, Zechiel, Milambo; Moussa, Gimenez, Paixao
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Laimer, Kim, Upamecano, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Musiala, Sane; Kane
We say: Feyenoord 1-3 Bayern Munich
Goals at both ends of the field are a guarantee whenever Feyenoord play in the Champions League, and that theme should continue on Wednesday, albeit more to Bayern's benefit.
Kompany's men are facing off against a side with a ravaged midfield and low confidence stores amid a difficult domestic period, and the Bundesliga leaders have our backing to win this one with ease.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
