The Bayern Munich UCL Fixtures: Here’s What’s Next

The Bayern Munich UCL fixtures are now known, since the draw of the league phase of the Champions League took place on Thursday, August 28. UEFA then announced the exact order and kickoff times for all league phase matches on Saturday, August 30.

In this piece, we will take a look at the fixtures that await the German record champions in particular. The goal for the Bavarians should be to finish in the top eight of the league phase. That would give them a direct place in the Round of 16 of this season’s Champions League.

But as we saw last season, that is an extremely difficult thing to achieve. The teams involved must give their all in every league phase match to accomplish that. Given the very long fixture lists of the clubs in the Champions League, that is a big ask of all the players.

Teams that finish in ninth through 24th place advance to the knockout round playoff, to attempt to qualify for the Round of 16 that way, while those ranked 25th through 36th exit European competitions entirely.

Bayern Munich UCL Fixtures in September and October

The Bavarians start their European adventure on September 17 at home to Conference League and Club World Cup champions Chelsea. It will be a rematch of the 2012 Champions League final, one of the most tragic defeats in recent Bayern history.

Even so, only team captain Manuel Neuer remains from the squad of over 13 years ago.

The second match of the league phase will be the biggest unknown, as Bayern will travel to Cyprus to take on that country’s champions and first-time UCL participant Paphos on September 30.

On paper, this should be the easiest matchup of the eight, which makes it especially dangerous. Particularly because matches away to southeastern European opponents are played in some of the most hostile atmospheres for the visiting teams on the continent.

Bayern Munich’s only Champions League match in October takes place at home to Club Brugge on the 22nd. As we shall see, it will be the first of two times, the Bavarians host a Belgian side in this league phase.

The November Matches

November brings the two most difficult away matches amongst the Bayern Munich UCL fixtures. Namely, trips to Paris to take on the defending Champions League winners PSG on November 4, and to North London on November 26.

The Bavarians have good memories against both of these giants of the European game. They defeated the Parisians in the final of the 2020 Champions League, while almost always coming out on top in the plethora of meetings with the Gunners over the last quarter-century.

However, both of those opposition sides have gotten far stronger since then, while Bayern’s small squad does not exactly inspire confidence, to say the least.

The Games in December and January

The last three of the Bayern Munich UCL fixtures in the league phase of this season start at home to Sporting Lisbon on December 9, while after the winter break, the Bavarians take on Belgian champions Royale Union Saint-Gilloise also at home on January 21.

They then finish the league phase against an always-dangerous PSV side on January 28.

Overall, Bayern face an interesting mix of opponents in the league phase of the season. Last term taught us that nothing should be taken for granted; the Bayern Munich UCL fixtures certainly promise a lot of excitement.