Champions League First Knockout Round – Second Leg (First Leg: 2-3)
Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld is asking Bayern fans to get behind the team so that his side can “achieve something great” when they meet Real Madrid tonight.
Mark van Bommel’s late strike a fortnight ago has left the match delicately balanced at 3-2 to Madrid. Hitzfeld insists that with the majority of the sell-out crowd behind them, his team can turn the tie on its head.
“We have to ignite the fire,” said Hitzfeld. “The fans have to see that we can achieve something great here, something big. We will play attacking football and defend aggressively, but we need the supporters to get behind us.”
“The situation is very positive,” he said. “We have a good chance, only we need to improve how we deal with set-pieces.”
With that in mind, Hitzfeld will be hoping that Lucio recovers from a bruised toe. There are also concerns over the fitness of Owen Hargreaves, Hasan Salihamidzic and Christian Lell.
Real have selection worries of their won, with Gonzalo Higuain and Ruud van Nistelrooy struggling with thigh problems picked up in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Getafe, when Jose Antonio Reyes and David Beckham are definitely out.
Despite the absentees, Capello is confident that his side will deliver the goods.
“We are not panicking,” he said. “Beckham is a very good player but his absence doesn’t leave us helpless. The game will be all about keeping things tight, secure. It’s the sort of match when we could see Fabio Cannavaro at his best.
“Then again, sometimes attack is the best form of defence. It depends who is available.”
Probable teams
Bayern:
Oliver Kahn; Willy Sagnol, Lucio/Martin Demichelis, Daniel Van Buyten, Philipp Lahm; Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mark van Bommel, Owen Hargreaves, Andreas Gorlitz/Hasan Salihamidzic; Roy Makaay, Lukas Podolski.
Real Madrid:
Iker Casillas; Miguel Torres, Fabio Cannavaro, Ivan Helguera, Roberto Carlos; Raul Gonzalez, Mahamadou Diarra, Emerson, Guti; Ruud van Nistelrooy, Gonzalo Higuaín.
