FC Bayern is under pressure in the Champions League. Even two wins might not be enough. Duels with Real Madrid or Manchester City are looming.
FC Bayern set off for Rotterdam on Tuesday afternoon with the special aircraft LH 2570. Before departure, Max Eberl made it clear again which destinations were in his luggage. “We are going there to win and want to try to avoid the play-offs,” said the record champions’ sports director. To do this, three points are absolutely necessary in the duel with Feyenoord Rotterdam on Wednesday evening (from 9 p.m. in the live ticker on t-online).
After Munich’s slip-ups at the start of the league phase against Aston Villa (0:1) and FC Barcelona (1:4), Bayern can’t afford any more mistakes. With two wins against the Dutch top team and a week later at home against Bratislava, at least eighth place would be secured and thus direct qualification for the round of 16. Otherwise there is a risk of a tedious detour via the intermediate round (“play-offs”).
And that could become a real stumbling block on the way to the hoped-for “finale at home”, the final of the premier class, which will be played at the end of the season in the Allianz Arena at home. Among others, opponents such as last year’s winners Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are waiting, who will even have to fight to advance on the last two league match days.
Bayern absolutely want to avoid such an explosive duel, which takes place in the home and away game. They would ensure that with two wins in their last two league games. That is now clear after the defeats by Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Lille on Tuesday evening.
The Munich team are currently just behind the top eight places with twelve points. The problem why Bayern absolutely have to win themselves and can’t afford any more mistakes: On the last two match days there are almost no direct duels between the current top eight. The exception was the duel between league leaders Liverpool and Lille yesterday, Tuesday, which Liverpool won (2-1).
The Munich team cannot rely on the teams in front of them taking points from each other. So the math for Bayern will definitely start in Rotterdam. With a goal difference of 17:8, the Munich team has at least a small trump card up their sleeve, which could become important and sting if there is a possible tie on points.
Head coach Vincent Kompany is aware of the precarious starting position. Accordingly, the Belgian coach urged his stars to “try everything to win.”
Kompany’s former club Manchester City and team manager Pep Guardiola should be a warning example to Bayern in the Rotterdam duel. On matchday 5, despite a 3-0 lead until the 75th minute, City lost their home win against an extremely combative Feyenoord.
Eberl expects a “complicated game, especially in the “De Kuip” stadium. There will be a huge amount of emotion surrounding the game. We have to try to get control of the game. Above all, we have to fight against this crowd,” he emphasized.
Captain Manuel Neuer also warned: “I’ve already had my experiences there. We really have to show everything we can to carry the momentum from the last games into the Champions League.”
One thing is already clear: After the three easy victories at the start of the year in the Bundesliga in Gladbach (1:0) and against Hoffenheim (5:0) and Wolfsburg (3:2), things are getting serious for Bayern in the premier class.