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THE FIRST MEETING: WHY HAVE BAYERN MUNICH AND ATALANTA NEVER PLAYED EACH OTHER BEFORE?

Bayern Munich have drawn Atalanta in the Champions League last 16. Discover the dates, bracket details, and latest injury updates.

The First Meeting: Why have Bayern Munich and Atalanta never played each other before?
Bayern Munich to face Atalanta; potential Real Madrid/Man City quarter-final awaits

The draw’s done, and Bayern Munich will go up against Atalanta in the Champions League round of 16. The first leg’s in Bergamo, the second's back home at the Allianz Arena in Munich. If Bayern gets past Atalanta, things only get tougher; they’ll have to face either Real Madrid or Manchester City next. Meanwhile, the other side of the bracket looks a bit kinder. If Arsenal beats Bayer Leverkusen, they just have to deal with either Bodo Glimt or Sporting Lisbon.

But that’s the reality now, and Vincent Kompany’s got no choice but to keep his squad locked in, even with the growing injury list. Hiroki Ito’s the latest casualty; he picked up a muscle problem during training on Thursday at Säbener Straße.

Manuel Neuer, Bayern’s captain, has been out too since he left at halftime during the 3-0 win over Werder Bremen earlier this month. He was supposed to be back for the big Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund, but his recovery hit a snag. So, Jonas Urbig steps up again in goal.

There’s a real chance Neuer returns in time for the Atalanta matches, maybe even for both legs. Talking about Atalanta, Neuer made it clear: you can’t take them lightly. They just knocked out Dortmund after being down 2-0 from the first leg. He said, “We’ve had time to watch the games now, including Atalanta against Dortmund. Dortmund’s our next league opponent, and now Atalanta’s our Champions League rival. We saw how good Atalanta are at home; they can move mountains on their day. Honestly, it’s probably good we play in Bergamo first; after that, we’ll know exactly what we’re up against. Facing an Italian team in the Champions League just feels bigger than playing a German one like Leverkusen.”

This is actually the first time Bayern and Atalanta will meet. Still, Bayern knows what Italian sides can do. Atalanta recently beat Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, VfB Stuttgart, and Eintracht Frankfurt in Europe. So, nobody’s underestimating them.

TITLE RACE OVER? BAYERN MUNICH OPEN 11-POINT LEAD AFTER 3-2 DER KLASSIKER WIN

Harry Kane’s double and a late Joshua Kimmich volley secured a 3-2 win for Bayern Munich over Dortmund in a wild Der Klassiker.

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Harry Kane scores twice as Bayern beat Dortmund 3-2 in Klassiker

Bayern Munich kept their foot on the gas in the Bundesliga title race with a wild 3–2 win over Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday. That’s now an 11-point gap at the top; it's hard to see anyone catching them at this point.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing. Bayern had to come from behind, but Harry Kane did what he does best, scoring twice. Joshua Kimmich chipped in with a beauty, too. That’s five straight wins for Bayern, and honestly, the title looks all but theirs unless they completely implode.

Here’s how it all went down:

First half

The match kicked off at a frantic pace, but it took about 15 minutes before anyone threatened. Michael Olise was the first to test Dortmund, cutting in from the right and whipping a shot toward the bottom corner. Gregor Kobel got down well to keep it out.

Nico Schlotterbeck had a nervous moment after a reckless studs-up challenge on Josip Stanisic, earning himself a yellow card. Not long after, though, he made up for it. Schlotterbeck flicked a header from a free-kick into the bottom corner, putting Dortmund ahead and reminding everyone why so many top clubs are after him, Liverpool included.

Karim Adeyemi looked sharp, setting up Maxi Beier for a dangerous chance, but Jonas Urbig was quick off his line and shut it down.

Second half

Right after halftime, Serge Gnabry tried his luck from a distance but blasted over.

Adeyemi kept causing problems, slipping a clever ball to Felix Nmecha. Nmecha sliced Bayern open with a pass to Daniel Svensson, who looked certain to score, but Jonathan Tah threw himself in the way and blocked it.

Then came Harry Kane. Gnabry worked some magic in the box and squared it to Kane, who finished from close range; he doesn’t miss those.

Dortmund nearly answered right back, but Beier couldn’t quite poke the ball home in a scramble.

At 68 minutes, Schlotterbeck caught Stanišić in the box. It looked soft, but there was enough contact for the ref to point to the spot. Kane stepped up and buried it for his 30th Bundesliga goal and 45th in all comps for Bayern this season. Just ridiculous numbers.

The game kept swinging end to end. Bayern wanted to kill it off. Luis Díaz made space and let fly, but his shot missed the target.

Dortmund’s manager, Niko Kovac, went for broke with some attacking subs. It paid off; Daniel Svensson volleyed in the equaliser in the 82nd minute.

That should’ve rattled Bayern, and Dortmund had chances to take the lead, but Serhou Guirassy dragged his shot wide after a nice cross from Julian Brandt.

Then, just as the game looked set for a draw, Joshua Kimmich stepped up and smashed in a left-footed volley. The away end erupted. Bayern, once again, found a way.

KOMPANY’S MIND GAMES: IS MANUEL NEUER ACTUALLY FIT OR IS IT KLASSIKER PRE-MATCH BLUSTER?

Manuel Neuer injury update: Read about his "lightning speed" recovery and Vincent Kompany’s plans for Der Klassiker against Dortmund.

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Bayern Munich Boss Kompany "Upbeat" On Neuer Return For Borussia Dortmund Trip

Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany sounded upbeat about Manuel Neuer’s chances of returning for Der Klassiker. Neuer, 39 and still the club’s rock in goal, bounced back from a calf injury much faster than anyone expected. Now, he’s in the mix to start Saturday against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park, a huge lift for Bayern as they push to stay clear at the top.

Neuer picked up his injury two weeks ago in a 3-0 win over Werder Bremen. At the time, most people figured he’d miss the trip to Dortmund. But he’s moved through rehab at lightning speed. Kompany admitted in Friday’s press conference that Neuer caught the staff by surprise with how quickly he’s healed. They’ll make a final call after the last training session before heading to Dortmund.

Kompany didn’t hide his optimism. “Manu looks pretty good, actually. We thought he’d be out longer. He’s doing well and might even train today,” he said. Still, nothing’s guaranteed until that last fitness check. If Neuer doesn’t make it, Kompany said 22-year-old Jonas Urbig is ready to step in. “If it’s not enough for tomorrow, then we’ll go with Jonas Urbig,” he added, sounding confident that the young keeper can handle the pressure even if that means filling the gloves of a legend with 26 wins in 44 games against Dortmund.

This Klassiker comes with extra weight. Bayern are locked in at the top, and Dortmund, just dumped out of the Champions League 4-1 by Atalanta, are licking their wounds. Kompany isn’t reading too much into Dortmund’s midweek collapse, though. He knows a big loss can light a fire under a team. “It can do anything. Obviously, it’s a setback. It was a game where Dortmund could’ve gone through, too. Mentally, it always does something. What happens next can go either way,” Kompany told reporters, expecting a scrap on Saturday.

Instead of fixating on Dortmund’s struggles, Kompany focused on the mood in his own camp. He talked about the energy and aggression he’s seen in training, the kind of edge that makes a difference in tough away games. “We control how we approach this match. We’ve had a good week,” he said, giving his squad credit for their hunger. “There was this healthy aggression in training, which I love.” It’s that competitive fire, he believes, that sets title-winning teams apart, especially when they’re headed into the heart of enemy territory.

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