Doumbia Returns as CSKA Face Bayern in Crucial Champions League Clash
CSKA Moscow will be aiming to bounce back from their bruising Champions League opener when they host German giants Bayern Munich on Matchday 2—a daunting task made all the more difficult by the absence of fans and key players.
The Russian side suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to AS Roma in their opening group fixture, a result that left them bottom of the group and under pressure to respond. As they prepare to face Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich, one of the tournament favourites, the stakes could hardly be higher.
Adding to CSKA’s challenges, the match will be played behind closed doors, a UEFA sanction stemming from previous crowd trouble. Without the support of their home fans at the Arena Khimki, CSKA will also be without two of their regular starters—midfielder Alan Dzagoev and defensive stalwart Pontus Wernbloom—both suspended for the clash.
Despite these setbacks, there is a boost for the Russian champions: Ivorian striker Seydou Doumbia is expected to feature, having recovered from a minor knock sustained over the weekend in a dramatic 4-3 league victory against Ural Yekaterinburg.
Doumbia’s return could prove vital. Known for his explosive pace and sharp finishing, the 26-year-old remains one of CSKA’s most potent attacking threats. His experience and presence up front may offer the club a fighting chance against a Bayern defence that, under Guardiola, has been typically well-organised but not without vulnerability.
The match will present a significant test of CSKA’s resilience and tactical discipline. Against Roma, they were overwhelmed in midfield and exposed at the back—a scenario they can ill afford to repeat against a Bayern side that boasts the likes of Thomas Müller, Arjen Robben, and Mario Götze.
For Bayern, the game is another step in their European campaign, having opened with a narrow 1-0 win over Manchester City. While they remain firm favourites, the German champions will be wary of complacency, particularly in a competition that often punishes lapses in focus.
Manager Guardiola has emphasised the need for intensity and control, and will be keen to see a dominant performance from his side in Moscow, regardless of the empty stands.
For CSKA, meanwhile, the goal is redemption. Head coach Leonid Slutsky knows his side must tighten up defensively and take their chances if they are to make any mark on this group. Doumbia’s inclusion offers a glimmer of hope—but it will take a collective effort to contain Bayern and revive their European ambitions.
The task is steep, the conditions far from ideal, but CSKA will be hoping to harness their underdog spirit and produce a performance to restore pride—and perhaps, spring a surprise.
