Munich - Arab Today
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola opted to leave Germany's World Cup winner Mario Goetze on the bench for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final, first-leg, at home to Benfica.
Goetze, 23, started for Germany in last week's friendly win over Italy and helped create Bayern's goal at the Allianz Arena in Saturday's league win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
But he found himself back on the bench for the first leg at Munich's Allianz Arena.
Guardiola opted for Arturo Vidal in the midfield holding role, ahead of the back four, over Spain's Javi Martinez, who also found himself amongst the replacements.
Brazil's Douglas Costa and France veteran Franck Ribery were named on the wings with Thiago Alcantara and Thomas Mueller in the middle of midfield behind striker Robert Lewandowski.
Benfica boss Rui Vitoria started with deadly duo Jonas and Kostas Mitroglou up front with the pair having scored 48 goals so far in the Portuguese league.
With Brazil goalkeeper Júlio Cesar out, Ederson took over in the Benfica goal with 18-year-old Renato Sanches partnering Ljubomir Fejsa in the defensive midfield.
Starting line-ups for the Champions League quarter-final, first leg between Bayern Munich and Benfica at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday:
Bayern Munich (4-1-4-1)
Manuel Neuer; Juan Bernat, David Alaba, Joshua Kimmich, Philipp Lahm (capt); Arturo Vidal; Franck Ribery, Thiago Alcantara, Thomas Mueller, Douglas Costa; Robert Lewandowski
Coach: Pep Guardiola (ESP)
Benfica (4-2-3-1)
Ederson; Andre Almeida, Victor Lindeloef, Jardel, Eliseu; Ljubomir Fejsa, Renato Sanches, Pizzi, Kostas Mitroglou, Nicolas Gaitan (capt); Jonas
Coach: Rui Vitoria (POR)
Referee: Szymon Marciniak (POL)
Source: AFP