MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) -Bayern Munich eased past Slovan Bratislava 3-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday but the Germans missed out on a top-eight finish and automatic qualification and will go into a playoff for a spot in the Round of 16.

Harry Kane helps Bayern Munich to beat Slovan Bratislava but victory is only good enough to earn the German club a play-off spot in the Champions League.

Bayern Munich take on Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at the Allianz Arena. Kickoff is set for an 9 p.m. CET local time start in Germany, making it an 8 p.m. GMT kickoff in the UK. It's a 3 p.m. ET or 12 p.m. PT start in the US and Canada, and a 7 a.m. AEDT kickoff in Australia on Thursday morning.

With a spot in the knockouts already secure, Bayern Munich have a chance to sneak into the top eight of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday when the league phase comes to a close. Bayern enter Matchday 8 in 15th place but are just one point shy of a spot in the top eight and so direct passageway to the round of 16 is a real possibility for Vincent Kompany's side.

Bayern Munich concluded the league phase of the 2024-25 Champions League by reaching the knockout stage playoffs with a 12th-place finish after a 3-1 win over Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday.

Attempt saved. Mathys Tel (FC Bayern München) header from the centre of the box is saved.

Bayern Munich still have work to do as they target a top-eight finish in the Champions League. Bayern Munich vs Slovan Bratislava best bets Bayern Munich – 4.5 Asian handicap with bet365

Bayern went from the joy of a resounding 9-2 victory against Dinamo Zagreb to the despair of back-to-back defeats against Aston Villa and Barcelona, before they found some consistency with a run of three successive European wins over Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Here's how to watch the Champions League match on TV and live stream as well as the latest team news. The Sporting News takes you through all the information you need to follow the game.