Manchester United and Bayern Munich will square off in the most anticipated fixture of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League Matchday 1 on September 20. This will be their first meeting since Bayern beat United at the Allianz Arena in 2014.
The two European giants have faced each other multiple times in Europe and have even traded quite a few players over the years. In anticipation of today’s big showdown at the Allianz Arena, let us take a quick look at five players who have played for both United & Bayern over the years.
#5 Marcel Sabitzer
The entrant on the list, Marcel Sabitzer joined Bayern Munich from RB Leipzig for a $16.02 million fee in July 2021. He failed to become a regular at Bayern and agreed to join Manchester United on loan in January 2023. Sabitzer fared decently for the Red Devils, but Erik ten Hag and Co. did not deem it right to give him a permanent deal. So, having scored thrice in 18 games and won the Carabao Cup with United, Sabitzer returned to Bayern.
Less than a month after returning to Munich, Sabitzer joined Borussia Dortmund in a $20.29 million deal. Prior to pledging allegiance to Dortmund, Sabitzer scored twice in 54 games for Bayern, winning two Bundesliga titles and one German Super Cup.
#4 Owen Hargreaves
Former England international Owen Hargreaves joined Bayern Munich’s U19 side from Canadian outfit Calgary in 1997. Until leaving for Manchester United in 2007, Hargreaves played 218 games for Bayern in all competitions, scoring 10 times and claiming 26 assists. He helped Bayern to 10 trophies, including four Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Champions League trophy.
Unfortunately, Hargreaves could not make the same impact at Old Trafford, with incessant injuries keeping him from fulfilling his potential. The defensive midfielder played just 39 matches for United between 2007-08 and 2011-12 seasons, scoring twice. He won three Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League with the Red Devils during his stay.
#3 Mark Hughes
Remarkable former center-forward Mark Hughes spent three seasons with Manchester United’s senior team between 1983 and 1986 before leaving for La Liga giants Barcelona. Following a sub-par season in the Catalonian capital, Hughes was loaned out to Bayern Munich where he scored seven times in 23 games across competitions, winning the German Super Cup.
In 1988, Hughes returned to Manchester United and spent the next seven years at the club. Across two spells at Old Trafford, Hughes played 384 games in all competitions, scoring 138 times and providing 18 assists. Hughes won a total of 12 trophies at Old Trafford, including two Premier League titles and an FA Cup.
#2 Daley Blind
Netherlands international Daley Blind joined Manchester United from Ajax for a $18.71 million fee in September 2014. Over the next four years, the versatile defender played 141 games in all competitions, scoring six times and providing 10 assists. He helped United to four trophies, including a Europa League and an FA Cup during his stay in Manchester.
In July 2018, Blind returned to Ajax and spent the next four-and-a-half years at the club. In January 2023, Blind joined Bayern Munich as a free agent but failed to settle in at the Allianz Arena, leaving the club for La Liga side Girona after just five appearances across competitions.
#1 Bastian Schweinsteiger
Easily the most recognizable player on this list, Germany icon Bastian Schweinsteiger officially joined Bayern Munich’s senior team in July 2002. He went on to score 68 goals and claim 99 assists in 500 games for the Bavarians over the next 13 years. The central midfielder helped the Germans to a whopping 22 trophies, including eight Bundesliga titles and one UEFA Champions League trophy.
In 2015, Schweinsteiger joined Manchester United but niggling injuries kept him from being a consistent performer. He scored twice and provided three assists in 35 games for the club before leaving for Major League Soccer (MLS) side Chicago Fire in 2017. During his time at Old Trafford, Schweinsteiger won one FA Cup, one UEFA Europa League, and one Carabao Cup.
