UEFA Champions League - 2019/20 SeasonMatch press kits

Bayern München bowed out of last season's UEFA Champions League at an uncommonly early stage and their latest European quest kicks off with a home game against a Crvena zvezda side who are in the group stage for the second year in row.

• The German club lost to eventual champions Liverpool in the 2018/19 round of 16 – their earliest exit since 2010/11 – and will be seeking to extend a long unbeaten home run in the group stage against opponents who lost all three away games on their debut appearance last season.

Previous meetings
• This is the teams' sixth meeting, and a first since Bayern's 3-2 win in Belgrade in the 2007/08 UEFA Cup group stage, the Munich club twice coming from behind before a Toni Kroos winner four minutes into added time.

• Their most famous fixtures came in the semi-finals of Crvena zvezda's 1990/91 European Cup triumph, the club from what was then Yugoslavia coming from behind to win 2-1 in the Munich first leg thanks to goals from Darko Pančev and Dejan Savićević and holding on in a pulsating second leg in Belgrade to snatch a 2-2 draw – and 4-3 aggregate victory – thanks to a 90th-minute own goal from Bayern's Klaus Augenthaler.

• The 1979/80 UEFA Cup third round tie between the teams had been equally closely fought, Bayern winning 2-0 in the Munich first leg and going through 4-3 overall after rallying from 3-0 down in Belgrade, two Dieter Hoeness goals in four second-half minutes proving crucial.

Form guide
Bayern
• This is Bayern's 23rd UEFA Champions League group campaign, fewer only than Barcelona and Real Madrid (both 24). They have won their section 15 times, although their first-place finish in 2018/19 was their first since 2015/16.

• Twelve months ago Bayern picked up seven points at home, and 14 overall, to finish first in Group E ahead of Ajax, Benfica and AEK Athens. They drew 0-0 at Liverpool in the first leg of their round of 16 tie, but bowed out after going down 3-1 in the home return, meaning they have won only two of their last six UEFA Champions League matches in Munich (D2 L2).

• In the group stage, however, Bayern have won 14 of their last 15 home matches (D1) and are unbeaten in Munich since a 3-2 home loss against Manchester City on matchday six in December 2013.

• Champions of Germany for a record 29th time last season – with a landmark seventh successive Bundesliga title – Bayern had reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals or better in seven successive campaigns before losing to Liverpool.

• Bayern have won three of their four European matches at home to Serbian clubs, most recently a 3-1 win against Crvena zvezda's fierce rivals Partizan in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round second leg (6-1 aggregate).

Crvena zvezda
• European champions in 1991, Crvena zvezda claimed their second successive Serbian league title in 2018/19 and a 29th national championship overall.

• In 2018/19 the Belgrade club reached the group stage from the first qualifying round and went on to finish fourth in their group, although they did claim a first group stage win for Serbia with a 2-0 home defeat of Liverpool on matchday four, Milan Pavkov scoring both goals. Away from home they lost at Paris Saint-Germain (1-6), Liverpool (0-4) and Napoli (1-3).

• This season, Vladan Milojević's side again started their European campaign in the first qualifying round, where they were 2-1 aggregate winners against Sūduva of Lithuania (0-0 a, 2-1 h). They subsequently came through tight ties against HJK Helsinki (2-0 h, 1-2 a) and FC København (1-1 h, 1-1 a, 7-6 pens) before beating Young Boys on away goals in the play-offs (2-2 a, 1-1 h).

• Crvena zvezda have won only three of their last 16 European fixtures (D8 L5) and are eight games without an away victory (D4 L4) since a 2-1 triumph at Spartak Trnava in last season's third qualifying round second leg.

• 'Red Star' won 1-0 away and home against Köln in the 2017/18 UEFA Europa League group stage, their most recent fixtures against a German club. The win in Cologne was their fourth away success against a German club in their 15th fixture (L11).

Links and trivia
• Current assistant coach Nenad Milijaš scored Crvena zvezda's second goal in that 3-2 home defeat by Bayern in 2007.

• International team-mates:
Alphonso Davis & Milan Borjan (Canada)

• Have played in Germany:
Marko Marin (Eintracht Frankfurt youth 1996–2005, Borussia Mönchengladbach 2005–09, Werder Bremen 2009–12)
Miloš Degenek (Stuttgart 2012–15, 1860 München 2015–17)   

• Have played together:
Manuel Neuer & Marko Marin (Germany 2009–10)
Thomas Müller & Marko Marin (Germany 2010)

Latest news

Bayern
• Summer transfers
In: Lucas Hernández (Atlético Madrid), Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart), Jann-Fiete Arp (Hamburg), Ivan Perišić (Inter, loan), Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona, loan), Mickaël Cuisance (Mönchengladbach)
Out: Marco Friedl (Bremen), Jonathan Meier (Mainz), Franck Ribéry (released, Fiorentina), Arjen Robben (retired), Rafinha (released, Flamengo), Mats Hummels (Dortmund), Renato Sanches (LOSC Lille)

• Bayern lost 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup on 3 August, ending a run of three successive wins in the competition.

• The Munich club won 3-1 at fourth division Energie Cottbus in the German Cup first round on 12 August and will visit 2. Bundesliga side Bochum in October's second round.

• Niko Kovač's side opened the new Bundesliga season with a 2-2 draw against Hertha Berlin on 16 August, but have since beaten Schalke (3-0) and Mainz (6-1).

• On Saturday Bayern drew 1-1 away to Bundesliga leaders RB Leipzig.

• Eight points after four matches is Bayern's lowest total at this stage of a Bundesliga campaign since 2014/15, when they also had eight points; they went on to win the title that season by ten points.

• Robert Lewandowski scored Bayern's first five Bundesliga goals of the season, and has registered eight times in six Bayern appearances in all competitions in 2019/20, including at Leipzig on Saturday. He leads the Bundesliga scoring charts after four games with seven goals.

• On 29 August Lewandowski extended his contract at Bayern for two years until 2023.

• New signings Benjamin Pavard and Ivan Perišić scored their first Bayern goals against Mainz.

• Serge Gnabry scored in both Germany's 4-2 home loss against the Netherlands on 6 September and the 2-0 win at Northern Ireland three days later, both in UEFA EURO 2020 qualifying.

• Kingsley Coman was also on target in both France's EURO games, hitting two goals in a 4-1 defeat of Albania on 7 September and one in a 3-0 success against Andorra three days later.

• Perišić was on target in Croatia's 4-0 win away to Slovakia on 6 September.

• David Alaba sustained an adductor injury while warming up for the Leipzig match and is expected to be sidelined for the next few weeks.

• Leon Goretzka, who is yet to play in the Bundesliga this season because of a thigh injury, suffered a setback in training with the German national team and missed the Netherlands and Northern Ireland games. He underwent surgery on 11 September.

Crvena zvezda
• Summer transfers
In: Mateo García (Las Palmas), Tomané (Tondela), Njegoš Petrović (Rad), Radovan Pankov (Radnicki Niš), Nikola Vasiljević (Radnik), Jander (Pafos), Miloš Degenek (al-Hilal, loan), José Cañas (PAOK), Rajiv van La Parra (Huddersfield)
Out: Dejan Joveljić (Eintracht), Aleksa Terzić (Fiorentina), Lorenzo Ebecilio (Júbilo Iwata), Goran Čaušić (Arsenal Tula), Vujadin Savić (APOEL), Zé Marcos (Avaí), Stefan Fićović (Grafičar Beograd), Dejan Meleg (Radnicki Niš), Nenad Milijaš (retired), Nemanja Supić (retired), Erik Jirka (Radnicki Niš, loan), Stefan Hajdin (Voždovac, loan), Filip Stojković (Rapid Wien)

• Crvena zvezda have won their last 11 Serbian Super League matches, including all six this season. They were 2-1 winners at home against Indjija on Saturday thanks to two penalties in the final three minutes from Milan Pavkov.

• The Belgrade club have suffered only one defeat in their last 69 league outings, a 3-2 loss at Čukarički on 20 April this year. Their record otherwise is W62 D6.

• Crvena zvezda have scored two or more goals in all six league matches in 2019/20.

• A 2-1 loss at HJK in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round second leg is Crvena zvezda's only defeat in 14 matches in all competitions this season (W8 D5).

• Marko Gobeljić, who won the most recent of his two international caps in January 2017, was called up for Serbia's UEFA EURO 2020 qualifiers against Portugal and Luxembourg but was an unused squad member.

• Richmond Boakye has been out since the play-off second leg against Young Boys on 27 August with a hamstring injury, and has been training individually, but is close to a return.

Date of birth: 15 October 1971
Nationality: Croatian
Playing career: Hertha Zehlendorf, Hertha Berlin (twice), Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburg, Bayern München, Salzburg
Coaching career: Croatia Under-21, Croatia, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern München

• Born in Berlin to parents hailing from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kovač began his career at local side Hertha Zehlendorf before earning a move to 2. Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin in 1991. A defensive midfielder, he then joined Leverkusen, playing alongside younger brother Robert for the first time.

• Signed for Hamburg in 1999 but was reunited with Robert when the pair were snapped up by Bayern two years later. Won a league and cup double in 2002/03 yet struggled to tie down a starting spot and returned to Hertha in 2003, subsequently ending his playing days with Salzburg.

• Collected his first Croatia cap in 1996 and featured in 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying, only for injury to rule him out of the finals. Ever-present at the 2002 World Cup and UEFA EURO 2004, he also featured in the 2006 World Cup and UEFA EURO 2008, retiring in 2009 with 83 caps and 14 international goals.

• Quickly turned to coaching, first overseeing Salzburg's youth side and then working as a first-team assistant. Left Salzburg in 2012 and took charge, assisted by brother Robert, of Croatia's U21 squad in January 2013 before stepping up to the senior side that October following Igor Štimac's resignation. Took Croatia to the 2014 World Cup via the play-offs but was unable to guide his side into the knockout rounds and dismissed in September 2015.

• Resurfaced at Eintracht in March 2016, guiding the club to Bundesliga survival that year and mid-table safety, plus the German Cup final, in 2016/17. Oversaw an eighth-place finish the following campaign and having been announced as the new Bayern coach in April 2018, Kovač bowed out at Eintracht by winning the club's first trophy since 1988 with victory in the German Cup final – against Bayern. Retained the cup in his first season in Munich, completing the domestic double after Bayern's Bundesliga triumph.

Date of birth: 09 March 1970
Nationality: Serbian
Playing career: Bečej, Radnički Beograd, PAS Giannina, Kalamata, Crvena zvezda, Apollon Athens, Panathinaikos, Iraklis, Akratitos
Coaching career: Iraklis (youth), Crvena zvezda (youth), Javor, Čukarički, Omonia, Panionios, Crvena zvezda

• Born in Arandelovac, Milojević began playing football in Crvena zvezda's youth sides before moving on to the first team of Yugoslav league clubs Bečej and Radnički Beograd.

• Milojević moved to Greece in 1993, initially joining second division side PAS Giannina, and later helping Kalamata to promotion to the top flight. He became the first foreign central defender to play for Panathinaikos when he joined in July 1997 and stayed for three years, going on to have spells at Iraklis and Akratitos before ending his playing career in 2004.

• Appointed to coach at Iraklis's academies in February 2008, Milojević spent 2011/12 in charge of Javor before guiding Čukarički to the club's first major trophy with a shock Serbian Cup final win over Partizan in 2014/15. Took charge at Cypriot club Omonia between November 2015 and May 2016.

• Returned to Greece in August 2016, taking over at Panionios, who were second to eventual champions Olympiacos for much of the campaign, aided by a notable away win in Piraeus. Eventually finished fifth in what proved Milojević's sole season in charge.

• Appointed Crvena zvezda coach on 5 June 2017, he won the Serbian Super League in his debut campaign and kicked off 2018/19 by taking the Belgrade outfit into the UEFA Champions League group stage for the first time. Although they bowed out after matchday six, the Red-and-Whites had the consolation of a home victory against eventual champions Liverpool – Serbia's first ever group win – and ended the season by retaining the league title. They then came through four qualifying rounds to earn an immediate UEFA Champions League group stage return at the start of 2019/20.

UEFA Champions League: Did you know?

Overall records
• In 2012/13, Chelsea became the first defending champions to fail to get through a group stage since the UEFA Champions League began. (This record, like the others, includes the seasons between 1999/2000 and 2002/03 that featured a second group stage). In 1992/93, Barcelona were the reigning European Champion Clubs' Cup holders and lost 4-3 on aggregate in the second round to CSKA Moskva.

• In 2016/17 Real Madrid became the first team to successfully defend the UEFA Champions League trophy, with AC Milan (1989, 1990) the previous club to win consecutive European Cups. Milan (1994, 1995), Ajax (1995, 1996), Juventus (1996, 1997) and Manchester United (2008, 2009) have all returned to the UEFA Champions League final as holders only to lose.

• Real Madrid then made it three wins in a row in 2017/18, becoming the fourth club to win three or more successive titles in European Cup history, and the first to do it twice.

• Only two teams have ever won the UEFA Champions League on home soil: Borussia Dortmund (1997, final in Munich) and Juventus (1996, final in Rome), while Manchester United lost the 2011 final in London and 12 months later Bayern were beaten in the showpiece in their own stadium, the Fußball Arena München.

Group stage
• Barcelona have finished as group winners on 20 occasions, four more than Real Madrid and five more than Bayern München and Manchester United. Barça also hold the record for the most unbeaten group stage campaigns with 12, four more than Real Madrid.

• Bayern München (2 April 2013 to 27 November 2013) and Real Madrid (23 April 2014 to 18 February 2015) jointly hold the record for successive wins in the UEFA Champions League proper with ten. Bayern surpassed the previous mark of nine, set by Barcelona between 18 September 2002 and 18 February 2003.

• Six teams have recorded six successive victories in a UEFA Champions League group stage: Milan (1992/93), Paris Saint-Germain (1994/95), Spartak Moskva (1995/96), Barcelona (2002/03, first group stage) and Real Madrid (2011/12 and 2014/15).

• Twenty-one teams have gone through a UEFA Champions League group stage without picking up a single point, most recently AEK Athens in 2018/19.

• In 2017/18, Paris Saint-Germain set a new group stage record by scoring 25 goals, with Liverpool (23) also eclipsing the old mark of 21 set by Borussia Dortmund in 2016/17. Manchester United (1998/99), Barcelona (2011/12, 2016/17) and Real Madrid (2013/14) all managed 20.

• Only Deportivo La Coruña (2004/05), Maccabi Haifa (2009/10) and Dinamo Zagreb (2016/17) have failed to score in a group stage.

• BATE Borisov conceded 24 goals in 2014/15, a new group stage record which was matched by Legia Warszawa in 2016/17. The previous mark, 22, was held by Dinamo Zagreb (2011/12) and Nordsjælland (2012/13); Malmö shipped 21 in 2015/16.

• No team has ever gone through a UEFA Champions League group stage without conceding a goal. Milan (1992/93), Ajax (1995/96), Juventus (1996/97 and 2004/05), Chelsea (2005/06), Liverpool (2005/06), Villarreal (2005/06), Manchester United (2010/11), Monaco (2014/15), Paris Saint-Germain (2015/16) and Barcelona (2017/18) all let in just one.

• Matchday six of the 2013/14 marked FCSB's 23rd successive game in the competition without a victory, surpassing the previous record of 22 set by Spartak Moskva between December 2000 and November 2006.

• Anderlecht hold the unwanted record for successive defeats in the competition, group stage to final, having lost 12 in a row between December 2003 and November 2005. Dinamo Zagreb are next with 11 consecutive losses on two occasions, from September 2011 to November 2012 and ongoing since September 2015.

• The lowest total for a team qualifying from the group stage is six points: Zenit in 2013/14 and Roma in 2015/16. Since three points for a win was introduced in 1995/96, nine teams have made it through with seven points: Legia Warszawa (1995/96), Dynamo Kyiv (1999/2000), Liverpool (2001/02, second group stage), in 2002/03 Lokomotiv Moskva (first group stage) and eventual finalists Juventus (second group stage), Rangers and Werder Bremen (2005/06), Galatasaray (2013/14) and Basel (2014/15).

• Napoli failed to qualify from their group with 12 points in 2013/14, the highest total of any team not to reach the next stage when the top two in each section progressed. Dynamo Kyiv (1999/2000, second group stage), Borussia Dortmund (2002/03, second group stage), PSV Eindhoven (2003/04), Olympiacos and Dynamo Kyiv (both 2004/05), Werder Bremen (2006/07), Manchester City (2011/12), Chelsea and Cluj (both 2012/13), Benfica (2013/14) and Porto (2015/16) all missed out with ten points.

Goalscoring records
• Lionel Messi became the first player to score five goals in a match in Barcelona's 7-1 win against Bayer Leverkusen on 7 March 2012, a feat matched by Shakhtar Donetsk's Luiz Adriano at BATE Borisov on 21 October 2014. Eleven more players, also including Messi, have scored four times in a game, most recently Cristiano Ronaldo for Real Madrid on matchday six in 2015/16.

• Cristiano Ronaldo set a new record for a UEFA Champions League group stage with 11 goals in 2015/16, eclipsing his own mark of nine in 2013/14, which Luiz Adriano matched in 2014/15 and Ronaldo himself equalled in 2017/18. Lionel Messi got ten goals in 2016/17; Zlatan Ibrahimović (2013/14), Ruud van Nistelrooy (2004/05), Filippo Inzaghi, Hernán Crespo (both 2002/03) and Robert Lewandowski (2018/19) managed eight.

• Messi's hat-trick against PSV Eindhoven on matchday one of the 2018/19 competition was his eighth in the competition, a mark Ronaldo matched against Atlético Madrid in that season's round of 16 second leg.

Oldest and youngest players
• Lazio goalkeeper Marco Ballotta is the oldest player to compete in the UEFA Champions League having featured against Real Madrid on matchday six in 2007/08 aged 43 years and 252 days. Alessandro Costacurta is the oldest outfield player; the Milan defender was 40 years and 211 days when he played against AEK Athens in 2006/07.

• Francesco Totti is the oldest player to score in the competition, aged 38 years and 59 days, in Roma's 1-1 draw at CSKA Moskva on 25 November 2014. Ryan Giggs (37 years 290 days) was the previous record holder.

• Celestine Babayaro is the youngest player to have appeared; he was 16 years and 87 days when he started for Anderlecht against Steaua Bucureşti on 23 November 1994. He was sent off in the 37th minute.

• Peter Ofori-Quaye is the youngest player to have scored in the UEFA Champions League, aged 17 years and 195 days. He found the net in Olympiacos's 5-1 defeat at Rosenborg on 1 October 1997.

FC Bayern München
Formed: 1900
Nickname: Die Bayern (The Bavarians)

UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets)
• European Cup/UEFA Champions League (5): 1974, 1975, 1976, (1982), (1987), (1999), 2001, (2010), (2012), 2013
• UEFA Cup (1): 1996
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1): 1967
• UEFA Super Cup: (1975), (1976), (2001), 2013
• European/South American Cup (2): 1976, 2001

Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets)
League title: 29 (2019)
German Cup: 19 (2019)

Ten-year European record (UEFA Champions League unless indicated otherwise)
2018/19: round of 16
2017/18: semi-finals
2016/17: quarter-finals
2015/16: semi-finals
2014/15: semi-finals
2013/14: semi-finals
2012/13: winners
2011/12: runners-up
2010/11: round of 16
2009/10: runners-up

Records
UEFA club competition
• Biggest home win
10-0: Bayern v Anorthosis Famagusta
28/09/83, UEFA Cup first round second leg

• Biggest away win
1-7: Roma v Bayern
21/10/14, UEFA Champions League group stage

• Heaviest home defeat
0-4: Bayern v Real Madrid
29/04/14, UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg

• Heaviest away defeat
6-2: København v Bayern
22/10/91, UEFA Cup second round first leg
5-1: Eintracht Frankfurt v Bayern
22/04/80, UEFA Cup semi-finals first leg
4-0 on four occasions, most recently v Barcelona
08/04/09, UEFA Champions League quarter-finals first leg

UEFA Champions League (group stage to final only)
• Biggest home win
7-0 twice, most recently v Shakhtar Donetsk
11/03/15, round of 16 second leg

• Biggest away win
1-7: Roma v Bayern (see above)

• Heaviest home defeat
0-4: Bayern v Real Madrid (see above)

• Heaviest away defeat
4-0: Barcelona v Bayern (see above)

FK Crvena zvezda
Formed: 1945
Nickname: Crveno-beli (Red-and-Whites)

UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets)
• European Cup (1): 1991
• UEFA Cup: (1979)
• UEFA Super Cup: (1991)
• European/South American Cup (1): 1991

Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets)
League title: 29 (2019)
Yugoslavian/Serbian Cup: 24 (2012)

Ten-year record (UEFA Champions League unless indicated otherwise)
2018/19: group stage
2017/18: UEFA Europa League round of 32
2016/17: UEFA Europa League play-offs (having transferred from UEFA Champions League third qualifying round)
2015/16: UEFA Europa League first qualifying round
2014/15: did not take part in UEFA competition
2013/14: UEFA Europa League third qualifying round
2012/13: UEFA Europa League play-offs
2011/12: UEFA Europa League play-offs
2010/11: UEFA Europa League third qualifying round
2009/10: UEFA Europa League play-offs

Records
UEFA club competition
• Biggest home win
9-1: Crvena zvezda v Stade Dudelange
02/10/57, European Champion Clubs' Cup preliminary round second leg

• Biggest away win
2-7: Komloi BSK v Crvena zvezda
15/09/71, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup first round first leg
1-6: Avenir Beggen v Crvena zvezda
22/10/74, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup second round first leg
0-5 twice, most recently v Dundalk
07/09/88, European Champion Clubs' Cup first round first leg

• Heaviest home defeat
1-4: Crvena zvezda v Paris Saint-Germain
11/12/18, UEFA Champions League group stage
0-3: Crvena zvezda v Borussia Mönchengladbach
19/10/77, European Champion Clubs' Cup second round first leg

• Heaviest away defeat
6-1: Paris Saint-German v Crvena zvezda
03/10/18, UEFA Champions League group stage
5-0: PSV Eindhoven v Crvena zvezda
25/08/04, UEFA Champions League third qualifying round second leg 

UEFA Champions League (group stage to final)
• Biggest home win
2-0: Crvena zvezda v Liverpool
06/11/18, group stage

• Biggest away win
N/A

• Heaviest home defeat
1-4: Crvena zvezda v Paris Saint-Germain (see above)

• Heaviest away defeat
6-1: Paris Saint-German v Crvena zvezda (see above)