James Rodriguez returns to Portugal as Bayern Munich begin their tilt at UEFA Champions League glory away to Benfica in Group E on Wednesday (kick-off: 9pm CEST/8pm BST/3pm ET).
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James made a name for himself in the Iberian Peninsula with Porto, before moving to Monaco and later winning back-to-back Champions League titles with Real Madrid. The Colombia international reached the semi-finals of the competition with Bayern in 2017/18 and is determined to go one better in his second season on loan at the club. After scoring off the bench in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen, he makes his first competitive start of the season in Lisbon.
Renato Sanches comes in to face his former club, for what is his first Bayern appearance in over a year. Mats Hummels, Javi Martinez and Franck Ribery are also restored to the starting line-up, with Thomas Müller dropping to the bench. South Korean Jeong Woo-Yeong (18) and Paul Will (19) are included among the substitutes.
Like Bayern, Benfica have also had an unbeaten start to their season and currently sit top of the Portuguese Liga NOS. Last season’s domestic runners-up had to come through two rounds of qualifying to reach the Champions League group stage, seeing off Fenerbahce and PAOK Saloniki along the way.
The Eagles come into this tie with the German champions on the back of a 2-1 win over Rio Ave in the Portuguese league cup. Central midfielder Pizzi and winger Eduardo Salvio are the ones to watch in this team with the pair providing over half the club’s 17 goals this season. Former Eintracht Frankfurt striker Haris Seferovic leads the line for the Lisbon club.
CONFIRMED line-ups
Benfica: Vlachodimos – Almeida, Dias, Jardel, Grimaldo – Fejsa – Salvio, Pizzi, Fernandes, Cervi – Seferovic
Subs: Svilar, Conti, Alfa Semedo, Gabriel, Zivkovic, Rafa, Castillo
Absentees: Corchia (knee), Jonas (back), Krovinovic (knee)
Coach: Rui Vitoria
Bayern: Neuer (c) – Kimmich, Boateng, Hummels, Alaba – Martinez, Sanches – Robben, James, Ribery – Lewandowski
Subs: Ulreich, Süle, Will, Goretzka, Gnabry, Jeong, Müller, Wagner
Absentees: Coman (ankle), Tolisso (knee), Rafinha (ankle)
Coach: Niko Kovac
Match stats
- Bayern are unbeaten in five matches in Lisbon, as well as their last five away European games. They have reached the Champions League quarter-finals or better in each of the last seven seasons.
- James scored 25 goals in 65 league appearance for Porto between 2010 and 2013, scoring one goal in six competitive meetings with Benfica.
- Renato Sanches is a product of the Benfica academy. He made his professional debut in a Champions League group game against Astana on 25 November 2015.
- Kovac made 17 Champions League appearances as a player, including six for Bayern in 2001/02 and 2002/03.
- Benfica are winless in six attempts against Bayern (D3, L3).
- Seferovic played under Kovac at Frankfurt between 2015 and 2017, registering 16 goals and 13 assists in 86 Bundesliga appearances.
Source: bundesliga.com