Bayern Munich has been battered by injuries—there is no denying it.
Yes, the squad is stretched thinner than anyone would like. And yes, having half the medical department on speed dial is not exactly ideal preparation for a Champions League showdown—but welcome to Atlético Madrid. Nobody is handing out sympathy points at the Metropolitano.
Diego Simeone is not going to look at Bayern Munich’s injury report and politely agree to make things easier or offer to let the Bavarians borrow a few subs. Atlético
Madrid will press, scrap, frustrate, kick, counter, and generally make ninety minutes feel like an appointment with the dentist. They will smell vulnerability, and Bayern Munich cannot afford to show any.
This is precisely the kind of match that separates a talented team from a genuinely resilient one. Harry Kane, Dayot Upamecano, Joshua Kimmich, and the rest of the available squad need to show some leadership. The youngsters and squad players need to embrace their opportunities rather than look around wondering who is missing.
Bayern Munich has had two consecutive Champions League draws, a bruising injury situation, and plenty of reasons to feel sorry for themselves (though, credit to them, they have not gone down that road).
Enough.
This is gut-check time. No perfect lineup, no ideal circumstances, and absolutely no sympathy from Simeone. Just Bayern Munich against one of Europe’s most uncomfortable opponents.
It is time for Bayern Munich to roll up its sleeves and remind everyone what this team is made of.
Song of the Week: “DOA” by Foo Fighters
For a band that developed as an off-shoot of Nirvana, Foo Fighters have put together a very solid run that spans decades now.
While not an absolute expert on their music, there are plenty of good sings produced by the group since their inception that you absolutely cannot avoid on the radio here in the United States. One that I actually think gets underplayed is “DOA”, which I rank as the best of its modern era. Sure, “Everlong” is what put the group on the map and “Monkey Wrench” is probably my favorite from the band’s early era, but “DOA” is a great one as well. Enjoy:
Entertainment Rundown
Scream 8
Admittedly, I was a massive fan of the original Scream. Scream 2 was… okay. Scream 3 was… passable, but a stretch. Scream 4 was—pat on the head—a good effort for some nostalgia. The fourth installment was where I jumped off the franchise. It was not a bad movie, but it wasn’t great either.
Were the other movies good? I’d consider jumping back in, but I haven’t been inclined to do so just yet. Anyway, there will be an 8th installment of the series:
Watching the original in the theater back in the winter of 1997 was an experience and so much fun. It was really the first horror movie in quite some time to have some fun with itself and the genre—it was a tremendous idea and was really well-executed.
Like any franchise, though, it became very hard to recapture that magic.
Neve Campbell had a nice run there in the nineties with fun movies and a long stint on Fox’s Party of Five television show. Scream and Wild Things (a truly fun concept—get your mind out of the gutter!) were a blast.
IT: A Story of Derry
ICYMI — HBO released a special edition one-off to its IT franchise on Halloween:
Predictions
This won’t be a walk in the park, as Diego Simeone’s side will bring its usual combination of physicality, defensive discipline, and shithousery designed to frustrate Bayern Munich’s attack. However, Bayern Munich—even in an injured state—has too much firepower to be contained for ninety minutes. Harry Kane will be the difference-maker, while Michael Olise’s creativity and Joshua Kimmich’s control in midfield should give FC Bayern the edge. Manuel Neuer will also have a big moment or two to remind everyone why he’s still one of Europe’s elite goalkeepers. Atlético Madrid will make things uncomfortable and find the net, but Bayern Munich’s top-end quality—despite dealing with so many injuries—will ultimately prevail.
Prediction: Atlético Madrid 1-2 Bayern Munich
Other Champions League predictions include:
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
- Galatasaray 1-2 VfB Stuttgart
- Shakhtar Donetsk 1-2 Sporting CP
- Barcelona 2-0 Aston Villa
- Bodo/Glimt 2-1 Lille
- Feyenoord 1-2 Inter Milan
- LASK Linz 1-0 Slovan Bratislava
- Manchester United 1-1 AS Roma
- Villarreal 0-4 Paris Saint-Germain
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
- AEK Athens 0-4 Real Madrid
- Fenerbahce 0-2 Liverpool
- Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Real Betis
- FC Porto 1-0 Napoli
- Lens 1-2 Como
- PSV Eindhoven 2-2 Club Brugge
- RB Leipzig 1-3 Manchester City
- Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
- Viking FK 2-0 Sabah FK
Prediction Records
- Total: 288-176
- Perfect Picks: 38
- Bundesliga Last Matchday: 3-6
- Bundesliga Overall: 32-40
- DFB-Pokal: 40-8
- World Cup: 71-28
- International Friendlies: 50-30
- UEFA Nations League: 58-46
- Champions League: 31-23
- Club Friendlies: 5-1
- Franz Beckenbauer Supercup: 1-0
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