Key events
Both coaches are dealing with injuries – Jamal Musiala’s hamstring tear against Augsburg means he is out, along with Alphonso Davies, Kingsley Coman, Dayot Upamecano and others. Manuel Neuer is also not quite ready to return, so Jonas Urbig continues in goal. Eric Dier starts at centre-back, while Raphaël Guerreiro is preferred to Thomas Müller as an attacking midfielder behind Harry Kane.
Inter are missing Denzel Dumfries at right wing-back and Inzaghi is also without Mehdi Taremi and Joaquin Correa in attack. Alessandro Bastoni and Hakan Calhanoglu – both substituted against Parma due to fitness concerns – are able to start in Munich tonight.
Teams
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1): Urbig; Laimer, Dier, Kim, Stanisic; Kimmich (c), Goretzka; Olise, Guerreiro, Sané; Kane.
Subs: Peretz, Klanac, Gnabry, João Palhinha, Boey, Vidovic, Müller, Kusi-Asare, Asp-Jensen, Karl.
Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Darmian, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Carlos Augusto; Lautaro Martínez (c), Thuram.
Subs: Di Gennaro, Josep Martínez, de Vrij, Arnautovic, Frattesi, Bisseck, Dimarco, De Pieri, Berenbruch, Zanchetta, Zalewski, Re Cecconi.
Referee: Sandro Scharer (Switzerland)
Preamble
After the thrills and spills of the “league phase”, the Champions League playoff and last-16 ties have churned out a more familiar pattern. Six of last season’s quarter-finalists – Dortmund, PSG, Barcelona, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich – have made it back to the last eight this time. The two newcomers are Aston Villa and Internazionale, and the team from Milan don’t feel like outsiders.
Since returning to the tournament in 2019, Inter have gradually found their feet, reaching the final in 2023 and running Manchester City very close in Istanbul. The aim now is to maintain their place at the top table, seeking an end to Italy’s 15-year European Cup drought. Given that they beat Bayern in the 2010 final, Munich seems a good place to take that next step, after a controlled campaign with just two goals conceded across 10 matches.
Inter’s underrated manager, Simone Inzaghi, was a striker in his playing days but has flourished as a defensive maestro in the dugout. By contrast, former centre-back Vincent Kompany wants his teams to play with the handbrake off, which might explain why he is excelling at Bayern after failing with Burnley. A sketchy campaign moved up a gear in the demolition of Leverkusen in the last 16.
Both sides may have dipped under the radar at times this season, but this is a proper heavyweight battle. Bayern and Inter have won nine European Cups between them, and sit top of their respective leagues. Two continental giants based just 250 miles apart, both with designs on lifting the trophy this year, but only one can advance. It’s on! Kick-off: 9pm local, 8pm BST.
