After starting Champions League life with a confidence boosting 3-0 win over Swiss side Young Boys on the road two weeks ago, Aston Villa face a stark reality check as they host German giants Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
The step up in competition will be a major splash of cold water to the face, but not one Villa fans will back down from. The club has proven resilient to begin this season, sitting fifth in the Premier League table with just a single defeat to title contenders Arsenal back in August.
Still, the weekend's 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town is less than a stellar result, and there is work that needs to be done to keep the season from falling short of expectations as they build towards establishing themselves as a perennial contender for European places.
Bayern top the Bundesliga table but dropped points for the first time this season on the weekend as they were held to a 1-1 draw by defending German league champions Bayer Leverkusen. Vincent Kompany's side was dominant, conceding just three total shots to their opponents, but unable to find a winner.
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Aston Villa vs. Bayern Munich prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Bayern Munich (-130)
- Score prediction: Aston Villa 0-3 Bayern Munich
Aston Villa is no easy out, but they still have work to do to give giant clubs like Bayern Munich a run for their money. Bayern haven't lost a group stage match in Champions League play since 2017 when they fell 3-0 at PSG. In the 33 matches since, they've suffered just four draws amidst 29 victories across the early portion of European play.
An adverse result here would not be an indicator of any glaring weakness in Villa's viability for qualifying to the knockout stage, but it is a reminder that there are bigger fish in the pond.
| BetMGM (USA) | |
| Aston Villa win | +340 |
| Draw | +320 |
| Bayern Munich win | -145 |
| Both teams to score | Y: -210 N: +145 |
| Over / Under 3.5 goals | O: +105 U: -145 |
| Bayern Munich -0.5 goals | -160 |
| Aston Villa +0.5 goals | +110 |
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Aston Villa vs. Bayern Munich match facts
- Date: Wednesday, October 2, 2024
- Kickoff Time: 8 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT)
- Location: Villa Park (Birmingham, England)
- Referee: Radu Petrescu (ROM)
- Last meeting: Bayern 0-1 Villa (European Cup, 1982)
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Aston Villa vs. Bayern Munich best bet
- Pick: Bayern Munich over 2.5 goals
- Odds: +150 (BetMGM)
While Aston Villa will be sure to have chances of their own as Unai Emery plays his attacking style of football, they are also definitely going to be tested at the back.
Villa have conceded nine goals through the first six Premier League games on 8.21 xG, good enough for a middling eighth in the English top flight, which doesn't exactly inspire confidence against a Bayern Munich side that is one of Europe's most potent attacking sides and put nine past Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League opener...gulp.
Aston Villa vs. Bayern Munich prop bet
- Pick: Michael Olise to score or assist
- Odds: +115 (FanDuel)
With the betting market expecting Bayern Munich to run up the score, it's hard to find good value in players amongst the German side. Odds for Harry Kane to strike are understandably awful, and aren't worth the risk given Kane has only scored one goal in his last four games against today's opposition dating back to his days with Tottenham.
Instead, another former Premier League player could feast as Michael Olise has enjoyed a strong start to life at the Bavarian giants. Since joining from Crystal Palace this summer, Olise has quickly established himself in the Bayern Munich starting lineup and has been prolific, rewarding the confidence from Vincent Kompany by scoring five goals and assisting three others through his first seven games in red.
Olise bagged a brace in the club's Champions League opener two weeks ago against Dinamo Zagreb, and was on the double again later that weekend against Wolfsburg in league play. He should have found a 57th minute winner against Bayer Leverkusen this past weekend but was turned aside by the stellar Lukas Hradecky, indicating he's still on the hunt for more goals. With plus odds in a familiar ground, Olise should be a leader up front for the visitors.
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