Champions League: Will Harry Kane the Red Devils?

Bayern Munich vs Manchester United

Two of Europe’s heavyweights, and old foes, are set to do battle at the Allianz Arena in Munich where FC Bayern and Manchester United will kick off their Champions League campaigns on Wednesday.

The England captain will line up for the German giants against the Red Devils, who know all about Harry Kane. And the former Spurs man is on the right side according to the Champions League 2023 betting odds. Bayern are the second favourites to win the 2023/24 tournament at a price of 6.50, while Manchester United are out at 21.00.

Both teams are expected to navigate a group which includes Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen, but if either of FC Bayern and Manchester United are vulnerable…it isn’t the Bavarians.    

Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern come into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen, while Erik Ten Hag’s difficult start to the campaign continued when he watched the Red Devils lose 3-1 at home to Brighton and Hove Albion. But the two bosses won’t come face to face on the touchline as Tuchel is banned, having been sent to the stands in Bayern’s final Champions League game of last season.   

Talking Points

What price Harry to score?

Harry Kane is the second favourite to win the Golden Boot at the 2023/24 Champions League, with a SBOTOP price of 5.00, and only Erling Braut Haaland at shorter odds. He’s made a superb start to his career with FC Bayern, scoring three goals and making one assist in three games since his £100m switch from Tottenham Hotspur. Kane has netted 21 goals in 32 appearances in the Champions League but has only appeared alongside Europe’s elite for five seasons, as Spurs have been irregular qualifiers.

Kane has warned his team-mates not to take Manchester United lightly, even though their visitors are going through a difficult time at the moment. But with Kingsley Coman still doubtful having missed the draw with Leverkusen, Kane will line up alongside Thomas Muller and Serge Gnabry in attack and that will give the United defence plenty to worry about.  

Manchester’s defensive woes

The Red Devils have had a poor start to the new Premier League campaign and currently sit in 13^th place, already nine points behind leaders Manchester City and seven adrift of the top four places. And the pre-match Champions League 2023 news for Ten Hag is not good.

He will pick a team to line up against one of the best attacks in world football with a patched up defence, and the latest absentee, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has added to a long injury list. The wingback is expected to miss the next two months with a hamstring injury. He began on the bench against Brighton, having suffered from illness the previous week, and came on for the last five minutes to replace centre back Lisandro Martinez. The Argentine defender is doubtful too, while his centre back partner Raphael Varane is already out.

Viktor Lindelof will take one of the centre back spots and he will probably line up alongside the out-of-form Harry Maguire. Meanwhile, with Luke Shaw out until November, Diogo Dalot and Sergio Reguilon will probably take the wingback positions.

Kane must be licking his lips!     

History

Bayern have won five, draw one and lost one of their seven meetings with Manchester United. The two teams met in the 2014 Champions League quarter final when Bayern won 4-2 on aggregate, before losing to eventual winners Real Madrid in the semi-final. But the most famous meeting of all was the match won by the Red Devils, the 1999 Champions League final which completed an historic treble for Manchester United. Alex Ferguson’s side trailed 1-0 going into injury time, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wrote himself into Old Trafford folklore with a last gasp winner.     

Recent form favours the Bavarians too; Tuchel’s team has won four, draw one and lost one of their last six games while Ten Hag has led his side to two wins, one draw and three defeats.

Betting Tip

At odds of 1.47 the hosts are hot favourites to win this Champions League opener, while the Red Devils can be backed at 4.64 and the draw is at a price of 4.36.   

Bayern’s last six games have all yielded Over 2.50 goals, as have Manchester United’s last three, so a bet on Over 3.00 goals is an idea at odds of 1.76, while 4-6 goals is at a price of 2.43. This is a fascinating clash but it looks a little once sided to me, and it’s all set up for Kane to write the headlines. 

 

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