Champions League team news: Predicted starting XIs – 8 August

The Champions League is back and there is more Last 16 Second Leg action coming your way as Chelsea have a mountain to climb against Bayern while Barcelona and Napoli start level.

Champions League team news – Saturday 8 August

Bayern vs Chelsea (3-0)

Bayern are unlikely to risk a not fully fit Kingsley Coman in their defence of a 3-0 first leg lead over Chelsea. The attacker is carrying a thigh injury and may feature on the bench but it would be a surprise to see him in the starting XI.

French defender Benjamin Pavard was injured in training in late July and will miss the match.

Joshua Kimmich and Thiago Alacantra are both expected to start but will have to exercise caution if they are to avoid being booked and missing the quarterfinal.

Chelsea have all sorts of selection headaches with two players suspended in Marcos Alonso and Jorginho and four players ruled out with injuries.

Christian Pulišić did his hamstring in the second half of Chelsea’s FA Cup final loss to Arsenal while Pedro also left Wembley crocked after dislocating his shoulder in a collision with the Gunners goalkeeper.

The absences open the door for youngsters Reece James and Mason Mount to impress but they will be up against an experienced Bayern side.

Bayern: Neuer; Kimmich, Boateng, Alaba, Davies; Thiago, Goretzka; Gnabry, Müller, Perišić; Lewandowski

Out: Pavard (ankle)

Doubtful: Coman (thigh)

Misses next match if booked: Kimmich, Thiago

Chelsea: Caballero; Rüdiger, Christensen, Zouma; James, Kovačić, Barkley, Emerson; Mount, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi

Out: Alonso (suspended), Jorginho (suspended), Pulišić (hamstring), Azpilicueta (hamstring), Pedro (shoulder), Gilmour (knee)

Doubtful: Kanté (hamstring), Loftus-Cheek (hamstring), Willian (unspecified)

Misses next match if booked: Azpilicueta, Zouma

Barcelona vs Napoli (1-1)

Napoli’s only hope of Champions League football next season is to win the tournament after a disappointing seventh-place finish in Serie A.

Barca coach Quique Setien feels Barca have benefited from a break following the conclusion of the domestic season.

“When we finished the league, it was with a positive mindset. Both the players and myself needed a break because after so many consecutive matches it really took its toll on us.

“But I think now we have had sufficient time to prepare for this match; to recuperate physically, take a few days off and come back with a renewed energy that has allowed us to have some very good training sessions and prepare in the best way possible.”

La Liga runners-up Barca still have some injury concerns though with Ousmane Dembele not ready to return and Samuel Umtiti suffering yet another serious knee injury.

Antoine Griezmann is also in doubt for the clash, but insiders feel he will start despite having just returned to training after a thigh injury.

Napoli’s Greek central defender Kostas Minolas is still feeling the effects of a rib injury suffered just after the Serie A restart and will miss the match.

Holding midfielder Nikola Maksimović is unlikely to start as he recovers from an ankle injury but Napoli coach Genaro Gattuso is hopeful that Lorenzo Insigne will be passed fit.

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet, Alba; Roberto, Rakitić, De Jong; Messi; Súarez, Griezmann

Out: Busquets (suspended), Vidal (suspended), Dembélé (fitness), Umtiti (knee)

Doubtful: Lenglet (groin), Griezmann (thigh), Ronald Araújo (ankle)

Misses next game if booked: Griezmann, Messi, Semedo

Napoli: Ospina; Hysaj, Di Lorenzo, Koulibaly, Mário Rui; Fabián Ruiz, Demme, Zieliński; Callejón, Mertens, Insigne

Out: Manolas (ribs)

Doubtful: Maksimović (ankle), Insigne (adductors)

Misses next match if booked: Koulibaly, Llorente, Mário Rui

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