MUNICH (AFP) - Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac and veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer expect to make home advantage count in their Champions League last-16 return leg on Wednesday (March 13) to bring down Liverpool at a packed Allianz Arena.
After a goal-less first leg draw at Anfield three weeks ago, Kovac expects both sides to go in search of goals and the Bayern coach rates Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool as one of the world's best counter-attacking sides.
"I don't think it will end 0-0, but we will receive the kind of support in our stadium tomorrow the likes of which we haven't seen in a long time," said Kovac with a sellout crowd of around 70,000 expected.
"We have shown lots of spirit and creativity in the Bundesliga going forward," he added, as Bayern have won their last three league games with a goal ratio of 12-1 since the first leg.
"I'm in the mood to see us play even more effectively at home with the tailwind of our fans."
However, Kovac warned that if his defence "take their eyes off" Liverpool's fleet-footed forwards Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane or Mohamed Salah, "then it's already too late".
Bayern are bidding to reach the quarter-finals for the eighth year in a row and Kovac has backed his experienced team against a Liverpool side bidding for their first Premier League title in 29 years.
"Of course, we have to push forward - that's important - but Liverpool are one of the best counter-attacking teams and we'll have to draw a fine line," said Kovac.
"The closer we get to the end of the season, the stronger mentally our players will become.
"That gives us some reassurance against Liverpool, but we have to find a balance.
"We must be able to score a goal, even at the end of 90 minutes."
Kovac expects "form on the day" to decide the result and said he had not put Bayern through additional penalty shoot-out practice as "you can either do it or you can't" when the pressure is on.
Both winger Kingsley Coman and left-back David Alaba should be fit to return after injury, although Kovac is without the suspended Thomas Mueller.
Neuer, the captain of Bayern and Germany, is also expecting a gala European night at the Allianz Arena.
Having lost at home to Real Madrid in the knockout stages in each of the last two seasons, Neuer says it is high time Bayern beat a big European club at home.
"Tomorrow is a final for us, anything can happen when two top teams meet each other," said the 32-year-old goalkeeper.
"The Allianz Arena will be on fire and it is time for us to once again beat a team of this calibre at home."
Liverpool striker Salah has scored only once in his last eight games, but Neuer scoffed when asked if the Egyptian's dip in form could help Bayern's cause.
"Liverpool will attack us as a unit and it doesn't matter if Salah has scored only one goal in eight games," said Neuer.
"We have already seen what Liverpool can do, it's also important that we also have the right players to safeguard from corners and free-kicks.
"It's important to cover the space at the back, always have the numbers to defend counter-attacks but, of course, we want to take the lead."
A crackdown on booming MTA overtime costs is coming — and carrying a whiff of labor unrest from transit workers. "The company brought this problem upon themselves and now they're trying to blame the workers," John Samuelsen, international president of the Transport Workers Union, told THE CITY on Thursday.
The Ticking Clock of Leicester City's Youth Movement
Gini Wijnaldum has revealed what Liverpool have learned from their defeat at Manchester City earlier this month. The Reds were beaten 2-1 at the Etihad on January 3 in a dramatic encounter between
Klopp: Reds can make the next step | eir Sport
LONDON: Manchester City swept back to the top of the Premier League as Gabriel Jesus struck twice in the champions' 3-1 win over Everton, while Christian Eriksen kept Tottenham in the title hunt in a last-gasp 1-0 victory against Burnley on Saturday.
Jesus shines as City regain top spot, Eriksen fires Spurs
Dennis Brand Leads Ten Finalists Into WSOPC Harrah's Cherokee Final Day. It was one-time gold ring winner Dennis Brand who bagged the largest stack at the end of Day 2 of the Harrah's Cherokee Main Event The penultimate day of the WSOP Circuit Harrah's Cherokee Main Event is in the books.
See Cole Swindell live at Harrah's plus 3 nights at River
westgateevents.com/events/cole-swindell-2019/
Harrah's Cherokee Resort & Casino, Cherokee, NC . Harrah's Cherokee Casino & Events Center is located near the North Carolina border just a mile from the entrance to the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway and just a short, scenic mountain drive from Gatlinburg, TN.
Harrah's Laughlin found liable in fatal 2002 casino brawl
Paul Gascoigne has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman on board a train. — AFP pic. LONDON, Jan 8 — Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne will stand trial for sexual assault in October after allegedly kissing a woman without consent on a train, a judge ruled today.
Gascoigne faces assault trial for kissing incident - Punch
Sergio Ramos scored twice to put Real Madrid on the brink of the Copa del Rey semi-finals as they came from behind to beat Girona 4-2 in a thrilling first leg on Thursday.
Ramos double puts Madrid within sight of the semi-finals
Buffon calls on PSG to show 'spirit of sacrifice' PARIS • So much has changed since the Champions League last-16 draw was made in December. Paris Saint-Germain were flying, Manchester United were in free fall and British pundits feared for the worst.
Gianluigi Buffon Identifies Two Problems Psg Have Ahead of
Stags coach Kadir urges better focus after last-gasp goals. Apr 18, 2019, 5:00 am 2019, 5:00 am. Football: Tampines Rovers score two last-gasp goals to see off Cambodia's Nagaworld FC 4-2 in
An increase in SPL local coaches, but Kadir Yahaya urges for
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 31, 2019, with the headline 'Start off well, Solskjaer tells United after winning run ends'. Print Edition
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer misses out on history as Man Utd winning
Valencia clinch Champions League spot, Getafe in Europa League. Valencia were languishing in 12th position in the standings in December and there were repeated calls from supporters for Marcelino
Valencia clinch Champions League qualification on final day
City and Liverpool leave chasing pack facing tough summer The Star. 13/05/2019. Liverpool's attempt to dethrone Manchester City as Premier League champions ended in glorious failure yesterday, but
City and Liverpool leave chasing pack facing tough summer
Man City appeal possible Champions League ban By superliga On Jun 6, 2019 0 Lausanne (AFP) - Manchester City have launched a legal bid to stop UEFA banning them from the 2020-2021 Champions League , the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Monday.
Man City appeal possible Champions League ban - worldfootball.net
0 comments:
Post a Comment