FC Bayern goes into the Champions League round of 16 against Lazio as favorites. However, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge warns urgently against underestimating the Romans – and gives a warning example.
FC Bayern once again marched confidently through the group stage of the Champions League. In Group A with Galatasaray, FC Copenhagen and Manchester United, coach Thomas Tuchel’s team won five of six games and one game ended in a draw.
Bavaria’s supervisory board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge commented on the record champions’ performance in the preliminary round in an interview with the “Abendzeitung” that Bayern “played a top group phase” and were already group winners after the fourth matchday. “Accordingly, we are favorites against Lazio, who are currently in ninth place in Serie A,” said Italy expert Rummenigge with a view to the first knockout round.
In the round of 16, Bayern first have to go to Rome on February 14th, with the second leg taking place at home on March 5th.
FC Bayern hasn’t been in the semi-finals for a long time
Now the premier class is “just getting started,” warned the 68-year-old. It is important to “concentrate on the point and achieve top performance”.
Against Lazio, Tuchel’s team must approach the games “with respect and a touch of humility – I hate to remind them of Villarreal,” warned Rummenigge of a knockout
Bayern were completely unexpectedly eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2021/22 season against the Spaniards. After a 0-1 draw in Villarreal, Bayern couldn’t get past a 1-1 draw in the second leg at the Allianz Arena. The equalizer came shortly before the end, and the “minimum goal of the semi-final” was missed by a huge margin.
In the previous season, Bayern failed against eventual winners Manchester City. A 0-3 defeat in Manchester was followed by a 1-1 draw in Munich. Bayern last won the Champions League in the first Corona year of 2020, when the competition was played to the end in a tournament format.