The Bayern Munich representative in Nyon, Switzerland, surely had a big smile drawn inside his brain as he saw his team paired with Swiss side Basel in the Champions League Round of 16 draw which took place on 16th December, just two days after Bayern topped this edition’s “group of death” that included comprised Napoli, Manchester City and Villarreal.
A meeting with Marseille was to occur in the quarter-finals. Les Phoceens were surely, after Cypriot side APOEL, one of the weakest teams still available in the competition. As Lady Luck kept away the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan, and even Chelsea, most counted on die Roten sweeping past their visitors from across the border.
And the Bundesliga giants did just that, recording a 2-0 scoreline in both legs and setting two feet firmly in the competition’s semi-finals. But now, more than luck will be needed against an old European rival in Real Madrid. Surely the Bavarians’ toughest task to date this season – and in recent years – Jupp Heynckes’ men will have their hands full as they battle the Spanish league leaders, who also happen to be – after Barcelona – the Champions League tournament favourites.
With four rounds of Bundesliga football remaining, it is safe to say that Bayern Munich have failed to win the league title yet again; the last time the Bavarians won the Bundesliga shield, they also reached the Champions League final, losing out to Jose Mourinho’s Inter side at the Bernabeu.
At the time of writing, Borussia Dortmund boast 22 victories from 31 Bundesliga games, just two more than the Bavarians. But while the Ruhr giants have drawn six and lost just three, Bayern have recorded four draws and seven losses, hence the eight-point difference separating Heynckes’ men from their Westphalia rivals. Not taking anything away from Borussia Dortmund, it is safe to conclude that Bayern Munich’s blackouts during the season simply cost the side the title: Between 23rd October and 27th November, the Allianz Arena outfit recorded three defeats in five Bundesliga matches, picking up just six points during this month-long period.
But the Bavarians are still very much alive in other competitions. As well as reaching the semi-final of the Champions League, they have booked a meeting with Borussia Dortmund in the final of the German Cup. Dortmund might have prevailed over the Bavarians during the two league meetings this season, but die Roten undoubtedly hold enough class to allow them to challenge any side, on their day.
Coming up against Real Madrid, veteran Bayern Munich boss Heynckes faces arguably the second strongest side in the world. Mourinho has shaped Real Madrid into a goalscoring unit, one that recently surpassed the 300-goal mark after a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby.
But Bayern Munich will be anything but whipping boys. In fact, the German giants are confident in their abilities and are backing themselves to see off Los Blancos. “We have to go to our limits and beyond”, admitted midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, before pointing out that “I hope we show the mentality which marks Bayern out.”
While the nine-time competition winners are termed Los Galacticos for their expensive array of superstars, the Bavarians hold their fair share of the game’s biggest names: Manuel Neuer’s fine form with Schalke last season and at the Allianz Arena in the current campaign have seen him rival Iker Casillas as the world’s best glovesman. The Spanish goalkeeper has been suffering a noticeable dip in form, with fingers pointed towards him during slip-ups against Villarreal and Malaga last month.
On the flanks, Real Madrid boast two of the world’s best wingers: Angel di Maria and Cristiano Ronaldo, the world’s most expensive player. But opposing them are Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben. The latter’s history at the Bernabeu is well known, as two injury-ridden seasons in the Spanish capital did not conceal the fact that he was one of the club’s most decisive players during the 2007/08 season, and to a lesser extent, the 2008/09 campaign. President Florentino Perez’ arrival saw Robben lead a Dutch exodus, as compatriots Wesley Sneijder and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar were also shown the door.
At Bayern Munich, Robben has rejuvenated himself, burying for good the “Glass Man” moniker that was permanently affixed during his Spanish stay. The winger was one of the main reasons behind his club’s Champions League surge in 2010, as well as Holland reaching the final of the World Cup that same year. If there is one man who knows how Real Madrid think and operate, it is Robben. And meeting his old club at such a stage is the perfect opportunity to remind Los Blancos just what they are missing.
Up front, Mario Gomez is undoubtedly the best pure penalty area striker in Europe at the moment. The German’s presence in the box cannot be underestimated, and he will be more than a handful for Real Madrid centre-backs Sergio Ramos and Pepe, themselves physical specimen that are no strangers to rough play. Facing Gomez, the Spanish side’s duo will face their toughest challenge to date this campaign.
And then, there is the Munich factor, as the Allianz Arena will host this edition’s final on 19th May. While the ground will be “neutral” for the sides that will eventually reach that date, the prospect of playing and winning a fifth Champions League accolade is a tempting one, to say the least. After all, no team has managed to lift the famous trophy in their own stadium since the Champions League replaced the European Cup in 1992/93.
Real Madrid are amongst the world’s elite sides, but should their German opposition play their cards right, then the Bavarians hold every chance of progressing to the final. Bayern Munich hold an impeccable record against the Spanish giants at home, as they have never been beaten on German soil by Real Madrid. Home advantage will certainly be important for both sides, but what is true as well is that fans will experience 180 minutes – at least – of fighting between two great European rivals.
