Big Match Feature: Liverpool v Bayern

One of the most successful sides in European Cup history will bow out of this season's competition as Liverpool and Bayern München meet in one of the last 16's standout ties. Catch the action live on SuperSport and DStvNow.

The teams each have five titles to their name – Liverpool's last triumph coming in 2005 and Bayern's in 2013 – but have both suffered recent disappointment.

The English club were beaten by Real Madrid in last season's final, while Bayern have lost in the semi-finals in four of the last five years, including last season's defeat by Madrid.

This season Bayern held off Ajax to finish first in Group E while Liverpool needed a matchday six win against Napoli to claim second place behind Paris Saint-Germain in Group C.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Surprisingly given the two clubs' rich European histories, this is only their sixth match – and their first in almost two decades. The sides last met in the 2001 UEFA Super Cup at Monaco's Stade Louis II, Liverpool winning 3-2.

The Reds also came out on top against Bayern in the semi-finals of their victorious 1980/81 European Cup campaign. After a goalless first leg at Anfield an 83rd-minute strike from Ray Kennedy took Liverpool into the final on away goals despite Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's reply for Bayern five minutes later.

Bayern were victorious in the sides' first contests, in the 1971/72 European Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals. After another scoreless game on Merseyside – meaning both Liverpool-Bayern matches at Anfield have failed to produce a goal – the German club won 3-1 in the Munich return, Gerd Müller scoring twice and Uli Hoeness once.

FORM GUIDE

LIVERPOOL

In 2017/18, Liverpool reached the round of 16 for the first time in nine years, beating Porto 5-0 away in the first leg and also on aggregate. That left them with the overall record of W5 L1 at this stage; the sole defeat coming to Benfica as holders in 2005/06.

The Reds are unbeaten in their last six round of 16 matches (W5 D1), conceding no goals, since a 1-0 loss at home to Barcelona in the 2006/07 second leg; they won that tie on away goals having triumphed 2-1 in Spain.

Liverpool's last fixtures against Bundesliga opponents brought away (2-1) and home (4-2) victories against Hoffenheim in last season's play-offs.

That made the Merseyside club's record in two-legged ties against German clubs W14 L2; they have won the last four, since a 4-3 aggregate defeat against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2001/02 quarter-finals.

Liverpool have won their last six home games against German clubs, since that 1981 stalemate against Bayern – indeed, the English side have won 14 of their 17 home games with German visitors, the exceptions the two draws with Bayern and a 0-0 result against Köln in the first such encounter, in March 1965.

The Reds have also been victorious in their last three games with Bundesliga sides, home and away, and are unbeaten in eight since that 2002 loss at Leverkusen (W6 D2) – their only reverse in their past 16 fixtures (W10 D5).

Liverpool have won their last five home UEFA Champions League fixtures, beating Paris Saint-Germain (3-2), Crvena zvezda (4-0) and, decisively, Napoli (1-0) in this season's group stage. They are unbeaten in 19 European home matches (W14 D5), since a 3-0 loss to Real Madrid on 22 October 2014.

The Reds have lost five of their last eight European matches, all those defeats coming outside England.

BAYERN

Bayern's round of 16 record is W11 L3. Having won the last seven, they have not lost at this stage since an awaygoals defeat at the hands of FC Internazionale Milano in 2010/11.

Twelve months ago the Munich club beat Besiktas 5-0 at home and 3-1 away, making it five successive victories in round of 16 matches and a remarkable 31 goals in their last seven such games.

That winning run includes 5-1 victories both home and away against Arsenal in the 2016/17 round of 16 – Bayern's last fixtures against an English club.

The Bavarian side have scored 15 goals in their last three matches with Premier League opponents, having also beaten Arsenal 5-1 at home in the 2015/16 group stage.

Bayern's record in two-legged ties against English clubs is W10 L5; they have won the last five since losing 6-5 on aggregate to Chelsea in the 2004/05 quarter-finals.

Champions of Germany for a record 28th time last season – with a landmark sixth successive Bundesliga title – Bayern have reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals or better in each of the last seven seasons.

For the second year in a row Bayern's campaign was ended by Real Madrid in 2017/18, via a 4-3 aggregate semifinal defeat. That meant all five of Bayern's UEFA Champions League campaigns since lifting the trophy in 2013 have been ended by Spanish clubs.

Niko Kovac's side won 2-0 at both Benfica and AEK Athens in this season's group stage before a 3-3 matchday six draw at Ajax. Robert Lewandowski scored in all three games, four goals in total, and registered eight overall, making him the competition's top scorer.

Bayern are unbeaten in their last eight European away games (W6 D2), scoring at least two goals in every one; the match at Benfica was their first clean sheet on their UEFA Champions League travels in 15 matches. They followed it with another at AEK before shipping three goals at Ajax.

LATEST NEWS

LIVERPOOL

UEFA Champions League squad changes

In: Ki-Jana Hoever, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ben Woodburn

Out: Nathaniel Clyne, Dominic Solanke, Pedro Chirivella, Kamil Grabara

Liverpool won their first four games after matchday six, but then lost two in a row, both 2-1 – at Manchester City on 3 January, ending their unbeaten start to the Premier League season, and four days later at Wolves in the FA Cup third round.

Jürgen Klopp's side have won three and drawn two since that defeat at Molineux, most recently beating Bournemouth 3-0 at Anfield on 9 February. They were without a game at the weekend.

Sadio Mané has scored in Liverpool's last four matches, home and away, and has five goals in his last six appearances at Anfield.

The Reds have lost only once at home in all competitions this season, 2-1 against Chelsea in the English League Cup on 26 September. Otherwise their record at Anfield is W14 D2.

Trent Alexander-Arnold came on as a late substitute in the win against Bournemouth – his first appearance since 12 January due to a knee problem.

Joe Gomez was taken off midway through the first half of the 3-1 win at Burnley on 5 December having fractured his left leg; he has not played since and underwent surgery in early February.

Dejan Lovren has been out since suffering a hamstring injury in the defeat at Wolves on 7 January.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has not played since suffering a serious knee injury in last season's UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Roma on 24 April, although he has been added to the squad for this season's knockout rounds.

Last month, Andrew Robertson signed a new five-year contract.

On 9 January Mohamed Salah was named African Footballer of the year, ahead of club-mate Mané and Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; the Egyptian had also been named BBC African Player of the Year the previous month.

BAYERN

UEFA Champions League squad changes

In: Alphonso Davies, Joshua Zirkzee

Out: Sandro Wagner, Frank Evina

Thomas Müller is banned for both games against Liverpool following his dismissal on matchday six.

Mats Hummels, Javi Martínez and James Rodríguez will all make their 50th UEFA Champions League appearances when they next feature in the competition.

Bayern's record since matchday six is W8 L1. Their sole defeat was a 3-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen on 2 February.

On Friday they twice came from behind to win 3-2 at Augsburg.

Leon Goretzka scored a first-minute own goal at Augsburg, just the third in the opening 60 seconds in Bundesliga history and the first since 1979.

Kingsley Coman scored twice at Augsburg, the first time he had scored more than once in a game since Bayern's 8-0 defeat of Hamburg on 25 February 2017.

On 6 February Bayern beat Hertha Berlin 3-2 after extra time to qualify for the German Cup quarter-finals. They will play 2. Bundesliga side Heidenheim at home in early April.

Serge Gnabry has scored three goals in his last three games – two against Hertha and another in the 3-1 home win against Schalke three days later.

Goretzka scored four goals in Bayern's first three games in 2019.

The Munich club have won 14 of their 18 away games in all competitions (D1 L3) this season.

Lewandowski has scored 25 goals in 30 Bayern appearances this season. He missed a penalty in a 4-1 home win against Stuttgart on 27 January – his third failure from the spot in the Bundesliga with his 24th spot kick.

Manuel Neuer missed three games due to a thumb injury before returning on Friday.

Arjen Robben has not played since 27 November because of a thigh problem.

Corentin Tolisso, part of the victorious France squad at last summer's FIFA World Cup, suffered torn cruciate ligaments in his right knee on 15 September. He returned to light training at the end of January.