Our next opponents: Exceptional quality across the whole team

Position

Even Atalanta's coach was in raptures after FC Bayern's performance. "I said at the pre-match press conference that we would probably be up against the best team in the world, and tonight they really proved that," said Raffaele Palladino after the 6-1 thrashing by the German record champions, and congratulated "Bayern, the club, the coach. Tonight they impressed me on the pitch". Football magazine kicker called the Munich men's victory in Bergamo a "demonstration of power", saying FC Bayern "tore Atalanta to shreds". International media outlets were also astonished. Spain's AS wrote: "These Bavarians are scary." And for La Republica (Italy), "the Germans played like they were from another planet".

With this footballing extravaganza, the Munich side pushed the door to the quarter-finals wide open. Josip Stanišič, Michael Olise and Serge Gnabry had already put the visitors 3-0 up by the half-hour mark. Nicolas Jackson, Olise (with a second) and Jamal Musiala increased the lead in the second half before Atalanta, who had beaten Borussia Dortmund in the play-offs, nabbed a consolation goal in stoppage time. "You could tell from the first minute what we had in mind, what the idea was, what the plan was, what everyone was willing to do," analysed Bayern's board member for sport Max Eberl. "It was an impressive performance from the team."

As in the Champions League, FCB are also right on track in the domestic title race. They lead the field by 11 points and also thrashed Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-1 last weekend - after the 3-2 in the top-of-the-table clash against Borussia Dortmund, it was their fifth consecutive Bundesliga win. Kimmich and Co. suffered their only league defeat to date on Matchday 19 at home to FC Augsburg (2-1), so they can no longer become unbeaten champions - like the Werkself in the 2023/24 season. Nevertheless, coach Vincent Kompany's side are well on their way to bringing the trophy home to Munich for the 35th time. The path to the DFB Cup final is likely to be more difficult. Bayern face Bayer 04 on 22 April and, like this Saturday, the Werkself will enjoy home advantage then too.

PersonNEL

Vincent Kompany will probably have to mix things up for the game at the BayArena compared to the 6-1 win in Bergamo: Goalkeeper Jonas Urbig took a knock and was diagnosed with concussion shortly before the final whistle of the first leg of the round of 16 tie. As Manuel Neuer is still not fit following a torn muscle, the number 3, 37-year-old Sven Ulreich, will be between the posts at the weekend. Left-back Alphonso Davies, who came on as a second-half substitute for Konrad Laimer last Tuesday, pulled a hamstring muscle in his right leg. Midfielder Jamal Musiala is sidelined due to feeling pain in his left ankle, which he had surgery on last year. Centre-back Hiroki Ito has also been absent recently due to a torn muscle.

However, Vincent Kompany needn't worry too much. After all, the head coach has excellent players across the whole team. In the back four, Werkself double winners Josip Stanišić and Jonathan Tah are available, as are Dayot Upamecano, Minjae Kim, Raphaël Guerreiro and Konrad Laimer. In central midfield, Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka are usually first-choice picks, but youngsters Tom Bischof, Aleksandar Pavlović and Lennart Karl are also regularly used. Harry Kane is likely to make his comeback up front. The top scorer was absent against Mönchengladbach due to calf problems, but returned to the bench in Bergamo.

ProblemS

Do this FC Bayern side, who are performing so convincingly, actually have a weak point at all? If they do, then perhaps it's at defending set pieces. FCB have conceded half of their 24 goals in the league from dead-ball situations. Most recently, for example, Nico Schlotterbeck scored a header from a free-kick in BVB's 3-2 defeat to the record champions. The Bavarians also conceded a goal from a corner kick in their only two defeats of the season so far, against FC Augsburg and Arsenal. "That's their Achilles' heel at the moment," says former Bayern player Markus Babbel. And Toni Kroos, who played for both Bayern and Bayer 04, also recently issued a warning in his podcast ‘Einfach mal Luppen’ (Just lob it) in view of the relatively high number of goals conceded: "It is an unusually high number and can quickly put an end to what is actually a good season. Bayern need to improve significantly in this regard, because many games are decided by set pieces these days."

PERFORMERS

As in so many other categories, Bayern are the absolute benchmark when it comes to their own set pieces. 25 goals from dead-ball situations are the best stats in the league. The Munich men's attack is unparalleled - both domestically and in Europe. FC Bayern have scored 92 goals in 25 Bundesliga matches. With nine games to go, FCB should easily break the previous season record of 101 goals they themselves set in the 1971/72 campaign. In comparison: Ligue 1 leaders Paris St. Germain have racked up 54 goals in 25 games to date, while Premier League leaders Arsenal have scored 56 goals in 30 games.

The main reason for Bayern's prolific scoring rate is by no means just Harry Kane. The England captain is the clear frontrunner in the goalscoring charts with 30 goals. But Kane's teammates Luis Díaz and Michael Olise are no less important for the Bavarians' attacking game. Both have notched up a total of 28 goals and assists in the league. The trio of Kane, Díaz and Olise have scored 54 goals between them, more than half of all of the record champions' goals. With 22 assists, the latter is the best provider in Europe, and the best winger in the top five European leagues with a total of 37 goals and assists in all competitive matches. And then there are Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, Lennart Karl and Nicolas Jackson as attacking trump cards. So it's no wonder Bayern top the categories of shots on target, shooting accuracy, finishing, headed goals, counter-attacking goals and different goalscorers. FCB also lead the field - just ahead of Bayer 04 - in terms of the number of passes made, their pass completion rate, and possession. It will be exciting to see which of the two teams can dominate the game more on Saturday.