Liverpool take on Bayern Munich at Anfield looking for a big advantage from the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. Here are the key stats and facts.
Five Times
This will be the fifth time the clubs have met in a European tie.
In March 1971, Liverpool beat Bayern 3-0 at home in the Fairs Cup with Alun Evans scoring the club’s first hat-trick in Europe. This was followed by a 1-1 draw in Germany with Ian Ross finding the net for the Reds.
Later that year they clashed again—this time in the Cup Winners’ Cup with Bayern winning 3-1 in Munich after a 0-0 draw at Anfield.
The semi-final of the European Cup was the stage in 1981 and again another goalless draw—this time at Anfield.
In the famous return a depleted Liverpool team scored first through Ray Kennedy on 83 minutes, and although Karl-Heinz Rummenigge equalised the Reds prevailed on away goals and went on to defeat Real Madrid in the Paris final.
They last met in European competition in the Super Cup in Monaco in 2001 with Gerard Houllier’s men winning 3-2 after leading by three goals early in the second half through John Arne Riise, Emile Heskey and Michael Owen.
Klopp’s Motivation
Jurgen Klopp has faced Bayern 30 times during his career, winning nine with four draws and 17 defeats. He registered one win in his first 12 meetings while with Mainz and Borussia Dortmund.
Klopp faced Bayern in the 2013 Champions League final at Wembley, losing 2-1 with Arjen Robben scoring an 89th-minute winner after Ilkay Gundogan had cancelled out Bayern’s opener from Mario Mandzukic.
In that game Xherdan Shaqiri was an unused Bayern substitute.
Seven players remain at Bayern from the team that beat Klopp’s Dortmund: Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, David Alaba, Javi Martinez, Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller and Franck Ribery.
Two of the beaten finalists that evening are currently with tonight’s opponents: Mats Hummels and Robert Lewandowski.
Bayern’s European Pedigree
This is Bayern’s 11th successive Champions League campaign. They have progressed from the group phase each time.
Only once have they gone out at the round of 16 stage during that sequence. In 2010/11 they won in Milan 1-0 but were beaten 3-2 at home by Inter to exit on away goals.
It is their 35th campaign in the European Cup.
Last season they reached the semi-finals, losing to Real Madrid, and they have reached the knockout phase in 2018/19 by winning four and drawing twice to finish two points ahead of Ajax.
Home Advantage
Last season Liverpool progressed in knockout ties after playing at Anfield first on two occasions defeating Man City and Roma.
They have won their last three ties in Europe after playing at home first (Man United being the other in 2015/16 Europa League).
Only Besiktas, on penalties in Turkey after the home team had won each game 1-0, have defeated the Reds in the last six ties when Anfield has staged the first leg.
Suspensions & Concerns
Liverpool will be without Virgil van Dijk this evening as he picked up his third yellow card at home to Napoli while a booking for Andrew Robertson will see him miss the trip to Munich.
Thomas Muller will miss both games of this tie following his red card at Ajax in matchday 6 while Joshua Kimmich will miss the second leg should he receive a yellow card this evening.
This Season’s Scorers
Liverpool: Salah (20), Mane (13), Firmino (11), Shaqiri (6), Milner (5), Sturridge (4), Origi (2), Wijnaldum (2), own goals (2), Alexander-Arnold (1), Fabinho (1), Lovren (1), Matip (1), Van Dijk (1)
Bayern: Lewandowski (25), Gnabry (7), Goretzka (6), Coman (5), Muller (5), Ribery (5), Robben (5), Alcantara (3), Rodriguez (3), Alaba (2), own goals (2), Hummels (1), Kimmich (1), Martinez (1), Rafinha (1), Renato Sanches (1), Sule (1), Tolisso (1), Wagner (1)
* All statistics courtesy of Liverpool statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
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