When FC Bayern welcome Union St. Gilloise to the Allianz Arena this evening at 9pm, there will be far more at stake than an early place in the last 16 of the Champions League. The match against the Belgian underdogs has a strategic significance for Munich that extends beyond the league phase
With 15 points after six games, the German record champions already have one foot in the knockout phase. A home win against Union St. Gilloise would take their points tally to 18 and secure a place in the top eight of the league phase ahead of time. Even with a draw or even a defeat, the chances of reaching the round of 16 would still be very good, but a three-pointer would save Bayern any arithmetic
For Vincent Kompany and his team, however, that is only half the story, because since the reform of the Champions League, the position in the league phase brings with it a bonus that should not be underestimated and can have a significant influence on the rest of the competition
Home advantage in the knockout phase
The teams in first to fourth place are allowed to play the decisive second leg in front of their own fans in both the round of 16 and the quarter-finals – an advantage that Bayern know and appreciate only too well. Should the Munich side even finish in the top two, this home advantage would even continue into the semi-finals
„I would love to achieve that,“ Vincent Kompany made no secret of his ambitions at the matchday press conference. Although the Belgian emphasized that a top finish is no guarantee of the title, the psychological and sporting advantage cannot be argued away
Aleksandar Pavlovic also underlined the importance of this factor, with the midfielder explaining that home advantage in the second leg would be „very important“ because they would be able to give a few percent more with their own fans behind them
PSG slip-up opens the door to second place for Bayern
The current situation in the table is particularly interesting from Munich’s point of view. Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-1 defeat in Lisbon has reshuffled the cards in the race for the top spots. FC Bayern are currently in third place with 15 points. Real Madrid also have 15 points, but have already played one game more
In plain language, this means that should Bayern win against both Union St. Gilloise and PSV Eindhoven on the final matchday of the league phase, second place would be secured. First place, on the other hand, is hardly realistic. FC Arsenal lead the table unbeaten and would have to lose at home to outsiders Qairat Almaty on the final matchday for Munich to overtake them
Nevertheless, the Bayern team’s strategy remains clear: every point counts and every game will be approached with maximum focus. The home match against Union St. Gilloise is therefore not only a must-win, but also a key game on the way to a potential top-class advantage, which could be worth its weight in gold in the spring.