For Bayern, direct qualification for the round of 16 would be an important step in the triple mission they are on. The experiences from the complicated last season are a big warning to them.
Harry Kane recently cited the exhausting playoff duels against Celtic Glasgow at the beginning of the year as one of the reasons why the team was later unable to achieve their big goals in the Champions League.
After a narrow 2-1 win in the first leg in Glasgow, Alphonso Davies saved Bayern from extra time and the threat of elimination in the second leg in Munich with his goal to make it 1-1 in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Bayern don’t want to have to go through such an experience again. “First of all, it’s one less round where you have to worry about the draw. You never know what’s going to happen,” said Eberl. “We found out last year when we had Celtic. But we could have had Manchester City.”
“That’s why we said we want to avoid these playoffs,” said Eberl. An important step has now been taken. “We need one more win, then you’ll definitely be in the top eight,” calculated Eberl, “and that will give us two weeks less in England.”
Since the Champions League reform and the resulting increase in games, the strain on the players has become even greater. Every week without a game during the week is a welcome relief.
Last year, FC Bayern could have used this relief, as Joshua Kimmich remembers. “I still have it in my head from February when we had to play Celtic, Leverkusen, Celtic. That was intense,” said the vice-captain on Tuesday. “We got through with a bang and had a bad away game in Leverkusen (0-0; editor’s note).”
Immediately afterwards there was the top game against Eintracht Frankfurt (4-0). “That’s exhausting, especially in February and March. Accordingly, we want to avoid the extra loop. That would be important if we didn’t have to rotate it,” said Kimmich.