The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Real Madrid will feel Bayern’s heat, says Robben Posted: 28 Apr 2014 05:38 AM PDT Madrid arrived in the Bavarian capital holding a slender 1-0 lead from the first-leg after Karim Benzema's winner in Madrid last Wednesday. Real have never won in Munich after eight defeats and a draw, but Bayern must score at least twice to progress. Madrid also have a terrible overall record in Germany with just two wins, 19 defeats and six draws, but Real eliminated Bundesliga sides Schalke and Borussia Dortmund en route to the semi-finals. With Bayern bidding to reach their fourth Champions League final in five years, the visitors can expect a warm welcome from the home fans in the cauldron of the 70,000-capacity Allianz Arena. Robben, who spent two seasons at Real before moving to Munich in 2009, says Madrid will be under no illusions about what to expect in Bavaria. "It is clear they will have lots of confidence because of the result in Madrid but they know it won't be easy here," said Robben. "We won't be giving anything away tomorrow. "Of course they won't be worried, but they also know it won't be easy. "The Arena in Munich will be on fire. "We will give everything. We need our fans and the support. "All 11 players on the pitch and seven on the bench will give everything and we have lots of confidence." Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has turned up the heat for the Munich match by suggesting away "teams think they are in hell" at the Allianz Arena. But Real coach Carlo Ancelotti retorted: "We hope the trees will burn on Wednesday, not Tuesday, when we leave" after his side's impressive 4-0 Spanish league win at home to Osasuna on Saturday. Real's Gareth Bale started on the bench in the first leg, but with the Welshman having recovered from flu, Ancelotti is expected to play his lethal BBC in attack – Bale, Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, who proved his hamstring injury is behind him with two goals against Osasuna. "It won't be any easier for us if Ronaldo and Bale are playing from the beginning," added Robben. "We were all surprised about their defensive play in Madrid. "We have to focus on playing offensively and scoring goals but we also have to take care of their counter-attacks." Having failed to progress from the semi-finals for the last three years, Real are desperate to reach the final in Lisbon on May 24, while Bayern are bidding to become the first team to retain the Champions League title. "We are all motivated enough," said Robben. "We know Madrid wants the 'Decima' (their 10th European triumph). We are still hungry and we know we can write history with this team so we are as motivated as they are. The two teams have great aims." – AFP, April 28, 2014. |
| Guardiola banking on ‘angry Ribery’ to pip Real Madrid Posted: 28 Apr 2014 03:49 AM PDT Ribery had a sparkling season until Bayern clinched the Bundesliga title with seven games to spare. The team has since looked like a pale shadow of its former scintillating self that broke record after record en route to the league title with Ribery having lost his spark down the left wing as Bayern notched just two wins in their last five league games. "Franck Ribery is extremely important for this club, for the team," Guardiola told reporters today ahead of the second leg following their 1-0 defeat in Madrid last week. "He was playing angry against Bremen (in Bayern's 5-2 win on Saturday). Franck needs this aggression, he needs to play angry. "He keeps fighting and that is why fans love him. He is one of the best players in Bayern history, he has always performed at the highest level and we need the best Ribery." Bayern were again unconvincing for much of the game against Bremen before an explosive second half saw them charge past their opponents with Ribery also on target. Guardiola, in his first season in charge, is looking to lead Bayern to an unprecedented back-to-back Champions League win and should they make the final they would equal Juventus' record of having reached three consecutive finals in this competition (1996-98). They will, however, need to score against a team that last week successfully managed to keep the Bayern attack under complete control despite the Germans' overwhelming possession. "I cannot imagine that (Real coach) Carlo Ancelotti will set up his team in such a way as to just keep the result," said the Spaniard. "That would be difficult to maintain. Obviously it is clear what we need to do. We need to score more than one goal." "Real are a quick team so we always have to be positioned well when we lose possession. The best is to keep them a long way away from our goal." Guardiola refused to speculate on the participation or not of Real's Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, with the former twice on target in Saturday's 4-0 win over Ossasuna following a minor knee injury and the Welshman missing that game with a flu. "To me it makes no difference whether Real have Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale available," he said. Ribery's teammate Arjen Robben said they would not be surprised again by a defensive Real formation. "Real are coming here with a lot of confidence but they also know that nothing is for free here," Robben told reporters. "It will not be easy for them. We have to play quickly forward and score but we have to be careful of their counter attacks. We were a bit surprised by how defensive they were in the first leg." "We are still hungry and we want to make history and reach the final," he said. – Reuters, April 28, 2014. |
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