Feyenoord vs Bayern Munich Prediction: 22/1/2025

Feyenoord is currently ranked 18th in the Champions League standings, three points from the top eight that assure a direct qualification ticket to the round of 16 and three points above 25th, who fall into the playoffs. Their campaign started poorly with a heavy 4-0 home defeat to Leverkusen.

However, they then pulled themselves up with victories over Girona 3-2 and Benfica 3-1 before falling to Salzburg 3-1. Feyenoord then earned a thrilling 3-3 draw with Manchester City and won 4-2 against Sparta Prague. In the league, the team is already out of the title race and will have to fight to secure a place on the podium. After a run of six games without defeat, with five wins and one draw, they lost two in a row to PSV 3-0 and Utrecht 2-1. Last Sunday, they played against Willem II.

Bayern Munich, one of the favorites for the Champions League title, lie 10th, a point behind the top eight, having lost two on the road-to Aston Villa 1-0 and Barcelona 4-1-and also recorded wide-margin victories over Dinamo Zagreb 9-2, Benfica 1-0, PSG 1-0, and Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1. In the Bundesliga, Bayern leads the table with a four-point lead. They did remain unbeaten in the first 13 matches before falling 2-1 to Mainz in mid-December. They since bounced back with wins over Leipzig, 5-1 and Monchengladbach, 1-0; and still face Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg.

In this match, Feyenoord will be without defender Lotomba, long-term absentee Hartman, midfielder Hwang, and forward Ueda. Mexican international Gimenez (seven goals in the Eredivisie, two in the Champions League) leads their attack and could be joined by wingers Hadj Moussa (three goals in the Eredivisie, three in the Champions League) and Igor Paixao (four goals and six assists in the Eredivisie). Alternatively, Calvin Stengs (one goal and three assists in the Eredivisie) may earn a starting role. For all Feyenoord’s attacking promise, their defense has been leaky, allowing 15 goals in six Champions League matches.

Bayern Munich will be without second-choice goalkeeper Peretz, defenders Boey, Stanisic, Buchmann and Ito, along with midfielder Joao Palhinha. Their playmaker, Jamal Musiala (nine goals and two assists in the Bundesliga, two goals and three assists in the Champions League), is available again after an illness. He will most probably start with supporting striker Harry Kane, who has 15 goals and six assists in the Bundesliga and five goals in the Champions League. In offense, the probable wingers are Michael Olise, with five goals and seven assists in the Bundesliga and four goals in the Champions League, and Leroy Sané, with three Bundesliga goals. Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman will be the alternatives.

Prediction

This has been a high-scoring Champions League season for Feyenoord; all seven of their matches have seen the over 2.5 goals barrier broken. Bayern Munich have played fewer games because of postponed matches, but three of their four matches have also seen more than 2.5 goals scored in them.

Prediction: Bayern Munich 3-1 Feyenoord.