Atlético vs Bayern preview: Kompany absent as Kane leads Bayern in Madrid

Atlético de Madrid and Bayern Munich meet on Tuesday 3 November (21:00 CET, 20:00 GMT) at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in what is the heaviest fixture of matchday 4 in the Champions League league phase. Both clubs are in excellent domestic form, yet both sit outside the top eight after three European games – and Bayern travel without their head coach.

Where the two sides stand

Atlético have collected four points: a 2-1 defeat at Liverpool, a 2-0 home win over Manchester United and a 1-1 draw in Stuttgart. Bayern have five, but their last two European games both ended level – 3-3 against Viking and 2-2 against Arsenal. At home the picture is brighter for both. Diego Simeone's side are second in LaLiga, two points behind Barcelona, and won 2-0 at Levante on Saturday to stretch their unbeaten run to ten games, nine of them won. Bayern lead the Bundesliga, but only on goal difference after Saturday's 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund.

	Atlético de Madrid	Bayern Munich
Champions League points	4 (W1 D1 L1)	5 (W1 D2)
League-phase position	16th	14th
Last European game	1-1 at Stuttgart	2-2 v Arsenal
Domestic league	2nd, LaLiga	1st, Bundesliga
Last game	2-0 at Levante	2-2 v Dortmund

At the top of the 36-team table, five clubs are on maximum points: Paris Saint-Germain, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Real Betis all have nine. The full Champions League table shows how tight it is around eighth place, the last spot that avoids the knockout play-offs.

Bayern: Danks in charge, Neuer and Olise travel

Vincent Kompany will not be on the touchline. The Bayern coach collapsed at training in late October and was treated in hospital for an infection; he was discharged last week but is not with the squad. Assistant Aaron Danks leads the team in Madrid.

The injury list remains long. Jamal Musiala and Luis Díaz are still recovering from muscle injuries, Serge Gnabry tore a thigh muscle against Dortmund, and Ismael Saibari is out until the new year after ankle surgery. There is better news on two key names: captain Manuel Neuer, who missed four games with a foot problem, is back in the squad, and Michael Olise travelled despite the knee knock that forced him off on Saturday. "Both will be available," Danks said; whether they start is still open. Board member Max Eberl said the club is taking Olise's situation "day by day" to avoid a longer layoff.

Harry Kane, fresh from winning the Ballon d'Or, leads the line. Simeone congratulated him on Monday and summed him up in four words: "Es un hombre gol" – he is a goal man.

Likely Bayern XI: Neuer (Ulreich if he is not ready); Stanišić, Upamecano, Tah, Laimer; Kimmich, Pavlović; Karl, Olise (if fit), Davies; Kane.

Atlético: no Hjulmand, Koke close to a return

Atlético are missing Morten Hjulmand, who is suspended after his red card in Stuttgart, and Johnny Cardoso, who is still working his way back from a hamstring strain. Koke has trained with the group again after almost a month out and could feature; Simeone said the captain is "always hungry" to play, but hinted the coaching staff will manage his minutes. Simeone also backed Ademola Lookman after a difficult start to the season, saying he trusts the winger's one-against-one ability.

Likely Atlético XI: Oblak; Pubill, Le Normand, Hancko, Grimaldo; G. Simeone, Barrios, Llorente, Baena; Julián Álvarez, Lee Kang-in – with Koke an option in midfield.

History favours the hosts

Bayern have never won a Champions League game against Atlético in Madrid. The three Madrid meetings in the last decade ended 1-0 (Saúl, 2016), 1-0 (Yannick Carrasco, 2016) and 1-1 (December 2020, João Félix and Thomas Müller). Simeone, who called Bayern "one of the best in this competition", has made the Metropolitano a fortress again this season: unbeaten at home in all competitions.

Our take

This is a night when a draw suits neither side: Atlético need a win to stop drifting towards the play-off places, and Bayern have not beaten anyone in Europe since their opener. Bayern's quality in attack – Kane above all – makes them dangerous in any game, but an improvised coaching bench, a stretched squad and Atlético's home record tilt the context towards Simeone's side. If Atlético keep Kane quiet for the first hour, the Metropolitano crowd will do the rest; if Bayern score first, Atlético's compact block will have to open up, which is when Bayern are at their best. Expect a tight, physical game decided by small margins.

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