Bayern Munich are looking to continue their impressive opening streak in the Champions League.
“There are few games in the group phase, there is no time to allow yourself weaknesses. That’s why we want to get off to a very good start,” said coach Julian Nagelsmann before the first group game on Wednesday (9:00 p.m. / DAZN) at Inter Milan.
The German soccer record champion has won his last 18 opening games in the premier class since 2002. “That’s very positive, we want to continue like this. Of course we don’t want the series to break tomorrow. But it won’t be a sure-fire success,” emphasized captain Manuel Neuer after Bayern landed in Milan on Tuesday evening.
The objective of Munich is clear. “We want to prove that we want to get into the knockout phase. That’s our claim,” said Neuer, adding with a view to the surprising quarter-final knockout against Villarreal last season: “Such a departure hurts. We have the ambition and incentive to go far. We’re among the favourites.”
Nagelsmann makes expectations of Mané clear
Nagelsmann has high hopes for superstar Sadio Mané in the Champions League. He expects from him “that he transfers his experience to the team, pulls them along, that he lives up to his claim to leadership and his leadership qualities.”
Bayern still trained in Munich on Tuesday and only arrived in Milan in the early evening. Next week (September 13) in Group C, Bayern will face off against FC Barcelona with ex-scorer Robert Lewandowski.