All or nothing, historic win or tough crisis: Bayern München will be under the most pressure they have felt in years against FC Porto. Getting knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League would shake the foundations of the German record holders and the double would hardly rescue the season.
Manager Pep Guardiola even used the word “fear” after the surprising 3-1 first leg defeat in Porto on Tuesday. “We can’t have any fear, no fear!,” said the Spaniard in relation to his recently unsettled team of stars.
Guardiola: “100% optimistic that we can do it”
Bayern are believing they can qualify, despite having never turned around a two goal deficit at home in the club’s successful European cup history. The recent departure of doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt should also not turn the attention away from the tie. “It won’t be easy but I am 100% optimistic that we can do it,” explained Guardiola, who also knows “that the title and winning the cup isn’t good enough for a club like FC Bayern. The triple is what matters.”
But Guardiola has made it clear that he can deal with that. “If I couldn’t accept the pressure then I wouldn’t be manager of Bayern München. When you win then you’re a genius but when you lose you have problems. That’s what it’s like at big clubs,” said the Spaniard on the situation in Munich.
However Guardiola, whose contract runs until 2016, has made provisions should it happen. He is “very proud” of his team and “these players will remain my heroes for the rest of my life.” He “will still be here next year” even if the team do get knocked out. “That is my future,” he said.
But what counts for Guardiola and his team is the present, which according to Bayern’s Philipp Lahm “is not good but it’s not an impossible situation.” And the captain “isn’t worried”: “I’m convinced that we can get through to the semi-finals.” It would be their fourth Champions League semi-final in a row.
Müller: “We also need luck”
World Champion Thomas Müller isn’t so convinced, even though it wouldn’t be a “footballing miracle”: “but we also need luck. There are a lot of question marks. It won’t be a walk in the park. We’ve got our backs against the wall.” But Müller believes it’s exactly the situation “that we want to be in. It’s appealing.” However Müller is hoping that amongst the tension Bayern “don’t get push too far forward and get countered.” His demands: “We have to avoid making the mistakes we did in the first leg and can’t go forward in a kamikaze fashion. If it’s 0-0 at half time then everything is still to play for.” That wasn’t the case against Real in last year’s semi-finals. After losing the first leg 1-0, Bayern found themselves 3-0 down at home at half time in the second.
There is a glimmer of hope for Guardiola in terms of personnel. Vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger will be available following his ankle injury and illness. The 30-year-old will not be able to start however. Franck Ribéry is still not available, with Arjen Robben, David Alaba, Medhi Benatia and Javi Martinez all still on the injury list.
All or nothing, historic win or tough crisis: Bayern München will be under the most pressure they have felt in years against FC Porto. Getting knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League would shake the foundations of the German record holders and the double would hardly rescue the season.
Manager Pep Guardiola even used the word “fear” after the surprising 3-1 first leg defeat in Porto on Tuesday. “We can’t have any fear, no fear!,” said the Spaniard in relation to his recently unsettled team of stars.
Guardiola: “100% optimistic that we can do it”
Bayern are believing they can qualify, despite having never turned around a two goal deficit at home in the club’s successful European cup history. The recent departure of doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt should also not turn the attention away from the tie. “It won’t be easy but I am 100% optimistic that we can do it,” explained Guardiola, who also knows “that the title and winning the cup isn’t good enough for a club like FC Bayern. The triple is what matters.”
But Guardiola has made it clear that he can deal with that. “If I couldn’t accept the pressure then I wouldn’t be manager of Bayern München. When you win then you’re a genius but when you lose you have problems. That’s what it’s like at big clubs,” said the Spaniard on the situation in Munich.
However Guardiola, whose contract runs until 2016, has made provisions should it happen. He is “very proud” of his team and “these players will remain my heroes for the rest of my life.” He “will still be here next year” even if the team do get knocked out. “That is my future,” he said.
But what counts for Guardiola and his team is the present, which according to Bayern’s Philipp Lahm “is not good but it’s not an impossible situation.” And the captain “isn’t worried”: “I’m convinced that we can get through to the semi-finals.” It would be their fourth Champions League semi-final in a row.
Müller: “We also need luck”
World Champion Thomas Müller isn’t so convinced, even though it wouldn’t be a “footballing miracle”: “but we also need luck. There are a lot of question marks. It won’t be a walk in the park. We’ve got our backs against the wall.” But Müller believes it’s exactly the situation “that we want to be in. It’s appealing.” However Müller is hoping that amongst the tension Bayern “don’t get push too far forward and get countered.” His demands: “We have to avoid making the mistakes we did in the first leg and can’t go forward in a kamikaze fashion. If it’s 0-0 at half time then everything is still to play for.” That wasn’t the case against Real in last year’s semi-finals. After losing the first leg 1-0, Bayern found themselves 3-0 down at home at half time in the second.
There is a glimmer of hope for Guardiola in terms of personnel. Vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger will be available following his ankle injury and illness. The 30-year-old will not be able to start however. Franck Ribéry is still not available, with Arjen Robben, David Alaba, Medhi Benatia and Javi Martinez all still on the injury list.
Porto will be without the suspended Danilo and Alex Sandro for the second leg. Centre back Ivan Marcano, who missed the first leg, will return to the side.
