Alphonso Davies may return for Bayern Munich in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg at Villarreal. The Canada international has been out with injury for some time now, he last Chelsea in for his side on the 17th of December after being diagnosed with myocarditis inflammation of the heart and testing positive for Covid.
Bayern Munich Prepares Big for Villarreal Clash
However, midfielder Corentin Tolisso and utility man Bouna Sarr will be absent for the Germans. Villarreal will be without Alberto Moreno, while forward Boulaye Dia and Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze are both doubts for the game. The winner of the last-eight tie will face Benfica or Liverpool in the semi-finals of the competition.
While Bayern Munich goes into the contest as favorites, they will be wary of Unai Emery’s side, who stunned Juventus in the last 16. Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said: “[His] team are very experienced and we will need to figure out how to break them down.” Villarreal goes into the match having lost their last two La Liga fixtures to leave them seventh in their domestic league table 12 points adrift of fourth-placed Sevilla, who occupy the final Champions League qualification spot.
Emery says his team will need to be flawless against the six-time European champions, but believes they more than merit their place at this stage of the competition. According to him, he said: “We need to play a perfect game.” “We will play the 90 minutes at home to stay alive in the tie. We got through the group stage against Manchester United and Atalanta and knocked out Juventus in a very competitive tie, with a result that was beyond what we could have imagined.”
“All that experience and learning makes us question if it is a surprise [that we have reached the quarter-finals]. We want people to recognize our value and presence here.”
