Bayern-Schreck Alonso again
© Imago
On the way to the final Dahoam, FC Bayern stands against Bayer Leverkusen in front of a summit with a huge fall height-and Xabi Alonso can cement its reputation as a Munich fright. After the KO in the DFB Cup, the German record champion must fear a particularly painful end of all title dreams in the Champions League. The Bundesliga table leader against the master with the Alonso, which is still unbeaten against Bavaria: the royal class ultimate finale is also becoming an explosive location in German football.
99 days before the final on May 31 in the Munich Allianz Arena, Bayern legend Giovane Élber looked motionless when he pulled the German duel at the round of 16. The Bundesliga leader first has the home game on March 4th or 5th, the decision for the quarter-finals are made in Leverkusen a week later. The fact that Borussia Dortmund has to deal with Losc Lille from France was pretty lost in view of the permanent German favorite.
“With FC Bayern and Bayer Leverkusen, the two best German teams are meeting,” said Bayern sports director Max Eberl, who was reminiscent of “exciting duels”. “We saw how difficult this task will.”
“Munich or Madrid, the main thing is it Italy”
Leverkusen’s sports director Simon Rolfes acknowledged the draw with a sly smile. “Andy Möller would probably have said: Munich or Madrid, the main thing is it Italy,” said the Bayer manager based on the football wisdom “Milan or Madrid, the main thing is that Italy”.
“Certainly a team that we know well,” Rolfes continued. “But they also know us well. This is a high -level round of 16. ” Real Madrid around superstar Kylian Mbappé would have been the other variant for the Werkself. A week after the almost perfect factory appearance, when the ensemble around Florian Wirtz was missing after a dominant performance against Jamal Musialas Bavaria at 0-0, the Los Leverkusen on Säbener Straße triggered no cheering storms.
“Another chapter this intense season: FC Bayern against Leverkusen – now for the fourth and fifth time. Of course, many fans and I would also like to have an international duel in the Champions League, but that makes no difference for our task, ”said CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen.
Leverkusen coach Alonso against FC Bayern still unbeaten
The former crowd favorite Élber himself would have found it from a German perspective “beautiful” if Atlético Madrid had been the next opponent. Lothar Matthäus finds the pairing “Too bad”. “It has an advantage, a German team is sure to go to the quarter -finals,” said the record national player at “Sky”.
In addition to the reverberating top game, with which the Munich fought their eight-point lead in the table, there was a 1-1 in the league and a 0-1 in the cup this season. Alonso is unbeaten in all of his six games against ex-club FC Bayern. “We also know that it was some time ago that we last hit her. But I am optimistic that we will now succeed, ”said defender Alphonso Davies, who had saved Bayern in the playoff second leg against Celtic Glasgow.
It is the first German royal class duel for the Munich-based in 2013 in the London Wembley Stadium when BVB was conquered 2-1. This time Dortmund could be in the semi -finals of the opponents at the end of April. To do this, Bayern or Bayer would have to conquer Inter Milan or Feyenoord Rotterdam in a possible quarter -finals. Dortmund would get it on the way there in the quarter -finals on 8./9. and 15./16. April to do with Benfica Lisbon or Hansi Flicks FC Barcelona.
BVB wants to go to the quarter -finals – Kovac warns of Lille
“Even if we play the first leg at home, it is our aim and clear goal to take this challenging hurdle and qualify for the quarter-finals,” said BVB sports director Sebastian Kehl. In a form like the last in the Bundesliga, it will be difficult to progress.
“Lille is a very exciting opponent who was just a seventh in the preliminary round final table,” added Kehl. He described the team around the former Dortmund Thomas Meunier and Mbappé’s younger brother Ethan as “a very defensive team that only conceded one goal in Ligue 1”.
New coach Niko Kovac, who remained victorious in three duels against Lille during his time in Monaco, emphasized: “I know what qualities are in this club.” There are certainly “one or the other who says that Lille is not attractive. I see that the other way around. ” The club already has “very good players and with Bruno Génésio a very good trainer who does a great deal,” said Kovac. “You have defeated some top -class players in the Champions League, it will be a heavy chunk.” Lille was able to cheer both against Real and Atlético. Kovac warns accordingly: “We must not think that this will be two easy games just because we are the Bundesliga team. On the contrary: it will be a hard piece of work. “
