Bayern Munich, who reached the semi-finals of the last Champions League but were knocked out by Real Madrid in dramatic fashion at the Bernabéu, will be aiming to reclaim their position as Europe’s top team this season. Their last Champions League triumph came in 2020 during the final-8 tournament in Portugal, where they defeated Lyon in the semi-finals and PSG in the final.
Now, Bayern are focused on winning back their Bundesliga title, which they lost to Bayer Leverkusen last season, and also have their sights set on the German Cup, a trophy they haven’t lifted since their 2020 sextuple triumph. Vincent Kompany’s side wasted no time starting their title defense this season, winning their first two Bundesliga matches against Wolfsburg (3-2) and Freiburg (2-0).
On the other side, Dinamo Zagreb had to navigate the Champions League preliminary rounds to secure their spot in Europe’s premier competition. They comfortably overcame Qarabag from Azerbaijan, winning 3-0 at home and 2-0 away for a dominant 5-0 aggregate victory. However, Zagreb’s domestic form has been less impressive, as they settled for a 1-1 draw against Rijeka before the international break in a crucial top-of-the-table clash. Last weekend, they faced another tough test against Hajduk Split.
Bayern Munich have some notable absences, including Buchmann, Arijon Ibrahimovic, new signing Hiroki Ito (formerly of Stuttgart), Daniel Peretz, and key player Leroy Sané, who missed Germany’s recent international matches. However, Kingsley Coman is fit and available after remaining with Bayern instead of joining the French national team. Star striker Harry Kane, who racked up 36 goals and 8 assists in the Bundesliga last season, is also expected to feature, along with German internationals Joshua Kimmich (who recently scored against the Netherlands) and Jamal Musiala. Other key players like Mathys Tel, Michael Olise (former Crystal Palace player), and important defensive presence Boey should be included in the squad.
Dinamo Zagreb will also miss some key defenders, including Peric, Jakirovic, and Perkovic, for the trip to Germany. However, Macedonian striker Ristovski (2 goals in the league) is back in the squad, alongside captain Ademi.
Kulenovic, who has scored 5 goals in 5 league appearances, remains a major offensive threat for Dinamo, supported by Albanian international Hoxha (2 goals) and Frenchman Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel, who has played in Ligue 1 for clubs like Nantes, Strasbourg, and Monaco. Defender Bernauer, formerly of Le Mans and Paris FC, could also start the match.
Prediction
Bayern Munich’s recent Champions League home games have been full of goals, with 10 of their last 11 matches featuring at least three goals.
Similarly, six of Dinamo Zagreb’s last seven away matches in this competition have seen the same high-scoring trend. Given this pattern, we can expect another goal-filled encounter when these teams meet.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 2-2 Dinamo Zagreb
