With their status as Group A winners already secure, Bayern Munich host Copenhagen at the Allianz Arena in Wednesday's Champions League contest.

While Thomas Tuchel's men have nothing but pride on the line for the final two matchdays, their Scandinavian counterparts are involved in a heated three-way battle for second place.

Match preview

For 80 minutes of their clash with Turkish Super Lig title-chasers Galatasaray on matchday four, Bayern Munich were stunted by Okan Buruk's stingy backline, who were on course to end the Bavarians' perfect record in the Champions League group stages.

However, when the going got tough, Harry Kane - as he so often does - delivered, nodding a Joshua Kimmich free kick into the back of the net before completing his brace in the 86th minute, thereby ensuring that Cedric Bakambu's late strike would only be a consolation.

Thanks to the efforts of the England captain - and results elsewhere going their way - the Bundesliga champions are riding off into the last-16 sunset with 12 points from a possible 12 and cannot be caught by their three Group A rivals no matter what happens in the final two matchdays.

Taking their foot off the gas would leave Bayern prone to a slip-up, though - as was evidenced in their incredible DFB-Pokal exit to Saarbrucken - but since that 2-1 beating at the hands of the third-tier side, Tuchel's men have strung together a four-game winning sequence.

The most recent of those successes saw Kane bag his 18th Bundesliga goal of the campaign in Friday's 1-0 beating of Koln, which saw the red-hot striker become the first Englishman to hit that mark in a German top-flight season, and each of Bayern's last six home games has seen the hosts prevail.

Aided by a controversial red card to Marcus Rashford after Rasmus Hojlund had already found the back of the net twice in his homeland, Copenhagen completed a mammoth comeback against Manchester United on matchday four, boosting their hopes of a last-16 appearance at the expense of the Red Devils'.

Mohamed Elyounoussi, Diogo Goncalves and Lukas Lerager all found a way past Andre Onana before talented teenage winger Roony Bardghji - allegedly on the radar of some of Europe's more revered clubs - scored his side's fourth on the 87-minute mark to settle a seven-goal spectacular.

By avenging their narrow loss at Old Trafford in October, Jacob Neestrup's men leapfrogged Galatasaray into second place in the Group A standings - albeit only due to their superior goal difference - and all possibilities, barring a first-placed finish, will remain on the table for the Danish side by the close of play this week.

Only once have the Danish champions tested their mettle in the Champions League knockout stages - losing 2-0 on aggregate to Chelsea in the 2010-11 last 16 - but they are in charge of their own destiny ahead of a potentially pivotal contest with Galatasaray two weeks from now.

However, Copenhagen have hit a slight Superliga plateau since defeating Man United - drawing 0-0 with Brondby before losing 2-1 to Viborg at the weekend - and they went down by the same scoreline to Bayern on October 3, despite opening the scoring against the Bavarian behemoths.

Team News

While Tuchel will naturally consider some rotation with nothing to fight for on Wednesday, the German still has a few injury concerns to manage, most notably Jamal Musiala, who is unlikely to make his comeback from a hamstring tear just yet.

Matthijs de Ligt has also been seen on the training pitches as he steps up his recovery from a knee injury, but the Dutchman is still unlikely to return before the New Year, while Tarek Buchmann (hamstring) and Gabriel Marusic (ACL) complete the infirmary.

An appearance for Thomas Muller on Wednesday would see the World Cup winner reach 150 games in the Champions League - only 18 men have done so before him - and while the out-of-favour attacker did not see the field against Koln, he will surely be considered for a starting role on a milestone evening.

As far as Copenhagen are concerned, defensive duo Birger Meling and David Khocholava are expected to remain out for the remainder of 2023 with their respective injuries, while William Clem is also out until the New Year due to a broken leg.

Clem's fellow teenager Noah Sahsah may not make the cut either - the 18-year-old has a knee issue - but his fellow 2005-born protege Bardghji is in line for a recall to the first XI amid talk of Chelsea and Real Madrid running the rule over the youngster.

Lerager and Denis Vavro will miss the final group meeting with Galatasaray if they are cautioned here, but given the pair's importance to the team, Neestrup should not err on the side of caution.

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Mazraoui, Upamecano, Kim, Davies; Goretzka, Kimmich; Gnabry, Muller, Sane; Kane

Copenhagen possible starting lineup:
Grabara; Jelert, Diks, Vavro, Sorensen; Goncalves, Falk, Lerager; Bardghji, Claesson, Elyounoussi

We say: Bayern Munich 3-0 Copenhagen

Copenhagen have left with their heads held high in all four of their Champions League contests so far this term, and only an 83rd-minute Mathys Tel intervention denied them a point against Bayern several weeks ago, but their loss at the weekend was alarming.

There is much more riding on Wednesday's match for the Danish outfit than Bayern, but the group winners remain as intimidating as ever at the Allianz Arena, and we can only picture Tuchel's side remaining perfect with a straightforward victory.


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