BAYERN MUNICH have a chance to at least offer some hope of rescuing their worst season for a decade when they try to recover from a first leg Champions League Round of 16 deficit against Lazio on Tuesday.
The Bavarian giants are set to relinquish their Bundesliga title they have jealously guarded for the past ten seasons after a car crash of a campaign.
And they have to recover from a 1-0 first leg defeat in Rome to a Lazio side who have hardly pulled up trees either.
With Thomas Tuchel already announcing he's off at the end of the season, they are surely too far behind Bayer Leverkusen to win it. They were eliminated from the German Cup by tiny Saarbrucken and unless they get their finger out against the Italians, they will be out of Europe too.
A weekend draw away to Freiburg made it one win in five in all competitions for the fallen giants.
Mind you, Lazio have had a miserable campaign too. They currently sit in ninth place and can forget about Europe by Serie A qualification anyway.
And they are on a similarly poor run after losing their last two matches to Fiorentina and AC Milan, where they were reduced to eight men.
How the bookies view it
Bayern Munich are very, very short indeed at 1/4 with Coral and they are even 1/5 in places.
Lazio can be backed to complete a double at 12/1 also with Coral and the draw is 6/1 with bet365.
Recent head to heads
Lazio stunned Bayern with a 1-0 won at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome a couple of weeks ago in the first leg.
They also met in this competition three years ago with the Germans winning home and away.
Players to watch
You have to feel sorry for Harry Kane – he went to Bayern with surely a guarantee of collecting the first winners' medal of his career – only to see them embark on their worst season for years…despite his 35 goals in 37 games this season for club and country. He is odds-on to score in Munich at 4/6 with UniBet.
Lazio's top scorer is 34-year-old Italy legend Ciro Immobile with six league goals which tells its own story. He is 4/1 to score anytime with William Hill's. He netted a penalty in the first leg.
Anything else catch the eye?
Both Bayern and Lazio look like a couple of bang-average teams who will most likely be heading out in the next round anyway, but it can only be reputation that has Bayern as short as they are.
They have proved time and time again this season, they don't have the mentality to challenge and appear riddled with in-fighting and injuries with Sacha Boey, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sane either out or doubtful.
As bad as Lazio have been domestically, they will be organised and up for this and it's worth taking a chance on the draw at a big price.
Even if Lazio do concede, they are unlikely to change shape and go for it and the under 2.5 goals at a generous 6/4 with UniBet must have a chance.
This UEFA Champions League match between Bayern Munich and Lazio will be played on Mar 5, 2024 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Bayern Munich vs Lazio prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
