Real Madrid and Bayern Munich face off tomorrow in a high-stakes UEFA Champions League match at the Allianz Arena.
With Real Madrid losing 1-2 to the Bavarians in the first leg of their quarter-final tie, Alvaro Arbeloa & co. have a mountain to climb on Wednesday night.
Despite there being confidence of mounting a comeback within the locker room, their recent performances and results raise concerns.
After all, Real Madrid have failed to win any of their last three matches in all competitions, losing two and drawing one.
Vincent Kompany wary
However, Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany remains wary of Real Madrid, irrespective of their current form, as he firmly believes that their recent form does not reflect their true quality.
I always emphasize that we have a lot of respect for them. I said it at the Bernabéu and I stand by it,” said Kompany in his pre-match press conference.
“We’re ready for the best version of Real Madrid, and their current situation certainly doesn’t reflect their true potential. They’re one of the best teams in the world, that’s a fact,” he added.
However, the Belgian manager downplayed Real Madrid’s history of comebacks in the Champions League, stating:
“But the history of Barcelona, Liverpool, Atlético, PSG, Arsenal… if you look at it, everyone has stories to tell about their past performances.
“We lost to them recently. But I’m focused on what we can do to beat them tomorrow. I don’t dwell on anything else, on the past. I believe we can win, and then you can write whatever you want.”
On whether he expects tomorrow’s match to be similar to the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, Kompany explained:
“I think the first leg was a good result, and that’s all there is to it. I’m not thinking about whether we let them off the hook or whether Neuer was the best player. It’s a result that allows us to play tomorrow, at home, with the intention of winning.
“And that’s all we’re focused on. We have a slight advantage, but nothing more. It’s going to be a difficult match; nothing is decided yet. I feel we can improve for tomorrow.”
Alvaro Arbeloa, Head Coach of Real Madrid and Vincent Kompany, Head Coach of Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich have an advantage over Real Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Further discussing the performance in the first leg, he added: “But we could have scored more goals in the first leg too, not just Real Madrid. It’s true they improved in the second half; those 45 minutes might give them confidence.
“But in the first half, we had a very good feeling, and I think we can still give even more. Winning at the Bernabeu gives you that confidence, but now you have to prove it at the Allianz Arena. That you can play even better.
“And with their quality, their speed… they can be very dangerous. But I think we have to focus on ourselves. On how we can find solutions.”
Meanwhile, Kompany also confirmed that rising superstar Jamal Musiala is fit to start and Serge Gnabry, too, will be available for the game.
“Everything is working very well. It’s difficult to explain all the details. For example, what we see every day, what we talk about with him every day… but the direction is right. I won’t say anything about tomorrow,” he said on Musiala.
Regarding Gnabry, Kompany added: “Yes, he is. We’ve managed to get him fit to play. He had a break against St. Pauli. And it’s a difficult decision, of course. But everyone will be available for tomorrow.”
The Belgian was also full of praise for Michael Olise, who was Bayern’s top performer at the Bernabeu last week, saying:
We’re all seeing it… he’s playing at an incredibly high level. I’m sure he’ll be one of the best someday; but for now, he’s on the right track. At an incredible level. Among the very best.
“But I know what might happen if I say he’s one of the best now… So let’s talk about his performance, the performance he’s had over the last 18 months. Let’s hope he keeps it up.”
Talking about how the atmosphere will be at the Allianz Arena tomorrow, the Bayern Munich manager remarked:
“I’ve played here as an opponent and I know what this stadium can do. And my wish is that we have all the fans behind us tomorrow. Because they give us the support we need.”
On what will be the most important decisive factor in the game tomorrow, Kompany explained:
“This is a difficult question, because there are so many things… We can talk about individual qualities, the team as a whole, intensity, commitment, resilience, even a referee can make a decision, which I don’t expect.
“Every detail can be important. But for us, the most important thing is that we are physically and mentally prepared. We’ve trained well and we’re excited for tomorrow, of course.”
Source: AS