On Tuesday, Bayern Munich will travel to the English capital to face Premier League title challengers Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. However, the Bayern squad will be travelling alone due to UEFA banning the clubs’ away support for one game.
Nonetheless, Der Rekordmeister will not be deterred in London, knowing that the Champions League is their only chance at silverware this season. Bayer Leverkusen’s phenomenal form in the Bundesliga means that the Werkself only need to take eight points from their next seven games to guarantee the Meisterschale.
As well as this, FC Saarbrücken stunned Bayern in the DFB-Pokal, as the 3. Liga club made it all the way to the semi-finals before being knocked out by Kaiserslautern. Therefore, the record champions will need little motivation ahead of their clash with the Gunners, as highlighted in a recent statement issued by Thomas Müller.
Former Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz is also preparing for a difficult clash against the Rekordmeister. Speaking to Sky Germany, the 24-year-old commented on Bayern’s trophyless season and his expectations for the upcoming tie:
“That hasn’t happened for a long time. But of course, you have to give credit to the other clubs, especially Leverkusen, because they are having such an outstanding season. And I don’t even think that Bayern’s season is ultimately as bad as it has been presented. A month or so ago, when the top game was between Leverkusen and Bayern, Leverkusen hadn’t lost a game in the season, and Bayern were still only two points behind.”
“Sure, now it’s a little bigger, but I think now they will of course focus fully on the Champions League, and they are an outstanding team with a very good coach. That’s why I think it will, of course, be a very, very difficult fight for us. But we are for it. We are prepared and will do everything we can to, of course, move forward.”
For Bayern, it will undoubtedly be about taking the tie back to Munich in a positive position, especially considering the current injury crisis plaguing Thomas Tuchel’s squad. However, Arsenal are a difficult side to beat, and a first trophyless season in just over a decade hangs in the balance.
GGFN | Will Shopland
