Bayern & Milan Fight For Frey

Bayern Munich and AC Milan are locked in a battle to sign Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport.

Frey has established himself as one of the best shot-stoppers in Serie A, and he has produced a string of stunning performances this season.

The Frenchman has long been linked with a move to Milan, who are expected to sign a new number one in the summer, following their troubles with Nelson Dida.

However, according to the Gazzetta, Bayern are now set to rival the Rossoneri for the 28-year-old’s signature.

The Bavarian-giants, who are well clear at the top of the Bundesliga, are looking for a new goalkeeper in order to replace retiring legend Oliver Kahn, who will hang up his gloves in June.

Frey has been recommended to Bayern by Luca Toni, who signed for the club from Fiorentina last summer.

Ironically Toni and Bayern could face Frey in the final of this season’s UEFA Cup. Fiorentina play Glasgow Rangers in their semi-final, while the German-outfit are up against Zenith St Petersburg.

Van Der Vaart To Replace Ronaldinho At Barça

Barcelona have held preliminary talks with Rafael Van der Vaart's agent as they hope to sign the Holland international when Ronaldinho's move to AC Milan is finally made official.

The Blaugrana have asked the Rossoneri not to make any statement regarding the move for the Brazilian until after the Catalan outfit have played their final Champions League game of the season.

If Frank Rijkaard's team are eliminated by Manchester United at the semi final stage then Milan will be given the green light to announce Ronaldinho's imminent arrival, but if Barça progress they will be asked to wait until after the final.

With Ronaldinho set to sign a five-year deal at the San Siro that will see his wages rise from the €8m-per-year he earned at Barcelona to €12m-a-year, the Blaugrana will have more finances to play with.

Having been linked to several players in recent weeks to play down the left, Txiki Begiristain and Rijkaard are already talking to Van der Vaart agent, Bayram Tutumlu, about the player's interest in a move to the club.

The Hamburg star has Spanish heritage and has often been linked with a move to Real Madrid, but their interest cooled last summer and now Barça are set to offer him the chance to shine in la Primera.

Russian champions bar Reds’ path to final

Zenit St. Petersburg rate as the aspiring giants of Russian football. The club which numbers President-elect Dmitry Medvedev among its supporters are the reigning Russian champions and recently added the domestic Supercup to their collection, although they have only won the league title on two occasions in total.

However, four games into the new Russian season, the team coached by former Monchengladbach boss Dick Advocaat lie a disappointing ninth in the 16-team top flight with five points from four matches, although Zenit’s strength and ability has just proved too much for Bayern’s league rivals Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals.

Starring role for Arshavin

The Russians travelled to the Rhineland for the first leg and ruthlessly punished the home team on the break to register a 4-1 triumph. The best man on the park was Andrei Arshavin, Zenit’s biggest name and 2006 Russian Player of the Year.

Bayer recovered some of their pride and won Thursday’s return in St. Petersburg by the only goal of the game, but the Bayern observers at the Petrovsky Stadium will not have failed to note the home side’s menace in attack. The brains and creativity in the team are supplied by Ukraine playmaker and club captain Anatoliy Tymoschuk. “He could easily have played in Italy or Spain,“ Leverkusen Director of Sport Rudi Völler commented before the quarter-final second leg.

Record books offer hope

Founded in 1925 and making an eighth foray into the UEFA Cup, the men from St. Petersburg have generally come off worse against German teams until the recent Leverkusen tie. In December 2004, Zenit managed no better than a 2-2 draw with second division Alemannia Aachen at the group stage and were eliminated, while Dynamo Dresden put paid to the Russians’ hopes back in 1981-2. Bayern represent the fourth and on paper most challenging German opponents so far.

Hitzfeld: Our extra-time recovery was terrific

Bayern twice stared elimination from the UEFA Cup in the face on Thursday evening, but the men in red twice came back from the brink in Getafe, forcing the game into extra-time and recovering from two goals down to earn a 3-3 draw and a place in the semi-finals. “Fortune favoured the brave,“ general manager Uli Hoeneß declared. Oliver Kahn was rendered speechless: “I don’t know what to say, and I’ve already been through a lot in Europe.“

Reaction to Getafe v Bayern:

Ottmar Hitzfeld: “Coming back after going 3-1 down in extra-time rates as a terrific performance and speaks volumes for the team’s morale. Obviously we rode our luck too. We made life difficult for ourselves, but Getafe kept it very tight, we didn’t have much by way of chances. My players earned their place in the next round by fighting for it.“

Uli Hoeneß: “I can’t remember experiencing a game like that in a very long time. Fortune favoured the brave, but there’s a lot we need to sit down and talk about. We have to do better than that after playing for 110 minutes against ten men.“

Oliver Kahn: “It’s like I’ve just been saying in the dressing room: I’ve probably played 140 times in Europe, against Barcelona, Manchester United and Real Madrid, but that’ll all be nothing compared to what we’ve been through tonight. When we meet up again in ten years’ time, we won’t be talking about Real and United, we’ll talk about Getafe. I can’t remember ever having seen or played in a game quite like that. I’ve never before let in three goals and still gone through. I don’t know what to say, and I’ve already been through a lot in Europe.“

Mark van Bommel: “I’ve never experienced anything like that before. It’s just incredible. We deserved the equaliser in the first 90 minutes, maybe we should even have won the game in normal time. And then suddenly, we were 3-1 down in extra time.“

Philipp Lahm: “We didn’t play well today. We made too many mistakes, and it didn’t work out up front. But our mental strength saw us through. We kept on believing right to the end and we were rewarded with the very last kick.“

Third brace in six days for free-scoring Luca

Luca Toni appeared slightly nervous on Thursday, as any number of lenses and all eyes homed in on the striker and a brand new pair of boots provided by his equipment supplier. Two hours after a few tentative jogs and sprints to test the new footwear, the trademark grin had returned to the Italian’s craggy features as he faced the media at Bayern’s Säbener Strasse training ground. Understandably enough, the boots were a topic for discussion. Should the striker really be contemplating a change just now?

Toni’s current boots have brought him no fewer than six goals in as many days, two apiece in Bayern’s meetings with Getafe, Dortmund and Frankfurt. “I am superstitious actually, so I’ll test the new boots again tomorrow before deciding whether to risk them on Saturday,” the 30-year-old revealed.

Boots in focus

The 2006 World Cup winner goes in search of his first trophy at club level when Bayern face Dortmund in the DFB German Cup final at the Berlin Olympic stadium. Practically all footballers detest changes to an established routine before big matches, and Toni appears to be no exception.

However, even if the Italian chose to go without footwear, few would bet against him netting at least once on present form. “In terms of goalscoring quality, he’s one of the best we’ve ever had at Bayern,” Oliver Kahn declared on Thursday.

Memories of Müller

The man who switched to Munich from Florence last summer now has 33 goals in 40 competitive appearances, the kind of strike rate inevitably drawing comparisons with Munich legend Gerd Müller. He leads the scoring charts in the Bundesliga (20) and the UEFA Cup (10). In Frankfurt on Wednesday, he scored the goals to make the score 2-1 and then 3-1 in his side’s favour.

“He’s a poacher, the kind of forward you don’t see very often. He’s the definition of a penalty box player, always in the right place and hardly ever wasteful. He’s an outstanding striker,” continued Kahn, impressed by more than just the big man’s killer instinct. “As a World Cup winner, he has total belief in himself, and that’s infectious. You hear his voice when things aren’t going so well. He kept urging us on in Getafe, and he duly got the goals.“

Tireless Toni

The club captain also praised Toni’s professionalism. “His movement is always just right, always into the important areas. He comes across as extremely fit and doesn’t need resting.” Toni has hardly been affected by coach Ottmar Hitzfeld’s extensive squad rotation in recent weeks.

“He want goals. That’s why he’s at Bayern, and that’s what he lives for. Even when he’s tired, he’ll manage a sprint if he senses a goal. His mental strength is absolutely unbelievable,” Hitzfeld said, almost in wonder, after the two-goal gala in Frankfurt. The Bayern coach had wanted to withdraw the Italian at the interval as a precaution before the Cup final, but Toni insisted on playing on. “Someone so fired up is always going to score,” mused general manager Uli Hoeneß.

Critical phase

Toni freely admits he never expected to settle at Munich quite as quickly as he has done. “Obviously I’m delighted, but we’re only just coming to the vital games where the goals count double,” he declared before returning to the city where he won the World Cup with Italy two years ago. “Berlin was a lucky place for me,” he reflected, although he will certainly be careful with his choice of boots.

Hitzfeld set to name full-strength side for final

Right on time for the first final of the season, Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld is set to pick from a full squad, with only minor injuries clouding the horizon. Two days ahead of the DFB German Cup final against Borussia Dortmund at the Berlin Olympic stadium, both Miroslav Klose and Marcell Jansen reported fit and trained with the squad. The Germany pair missed last Sunday’s 5-0 victory against Dortmund and 3-1 midweek success in Frankfurt.

“It was important to rest everything we could possibly rest, so we’ll pick the team from a full set of options on Saturday,” general manager Uli Hoeneß commented after Wednesday’s win against Eintracht. “Provided we’re not careless, we’ll win in Berlin as well,” the board director declared.

Question-mark over Sagnol

Oliver Kahn will undoubtedly make sure his team-mates do not underestimate crisis club Borussia. The captain sat out the trip to Frankfurt “purely as a precaution, because I had problems with my neck the week before and feared it might have come back.“ Kahn, who has been pursuing his normal intensive training schedule since Monday, issued a warning to his team-mates on Thursday after sensing “we were too relaxed, too laid-back in training. The alarm bells are ringing."

The entire senior squad will travel to Berlin on Friday morning, including Hamit Altintop, although the Turkey star is still out of action after fracturing a metatarsal. The only question-mark concerns Willy Sagnol, who bruised a toe during the Frankfurt clash. “It could be a close-run thing for Saturday,” the player confessed, although he does not expect to be sidelined for long.

Hoeneß: Now I believe we’ll win the league

Bayern are on a winning streak and now stand on the verge of a 21st German championship triumph. Three days after a gala 5-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund, the men from Munich came from behind to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 and maintain their ten-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga. “The game was full of incident and I do believe Frankfurt were just as entitled to win it as us,“ Ottmar Hitzfeld frankly admitted afterwards. With just five games to go this term, even ultra-cautious general manager Uli Hoeneß is convinced: “Now, I’m prepared to say this: we’ll be German champions.“

Reaction to Eintracht Frankfurt v Bayern:

Uli Hoeneß: “We’re enjoying a bit of luck at the moment, no question about that, but Frankfurt failed to get a second. But that’s the way it is, when you’re on a roll like we are, you win matches you shouldn’t be winning. Obviously we had it under control by the end, but we could also have lost the game earlier on. Now even I believe we’ll win the league. I don’t really care when it happens, but now, I’m prepared to say this: we’ll be German champions.“

Ottmar Hitzfeld: “We were very lucky today, although Frankfurt were fortunate to take the lead in a phase when we were doing well and applying pressure. We were simply caught on the break, but after that, Frankfurt could easily have made it 2-0. We poured forward again after half-time, and we more or less deserved the equaliser. We were committed to getting a second, we weren’t satisfied with only a point. The game was full of incident and I do believe Frankfurt were just as entitled to win it as us.“

Daniel van Buyten: “We never even contemplated losing the match. A few words were spoken in the dressing room at half-time, and after that we played with more determination, we created more chances, and we scored the goals.”

Friedhelm Funkel (Frankfurt coach): “Compared to our performance in Hanover, I’m not dissatisfied with my team today. We matched Bayern in every area, but it got away from us after we failed to make it 2-0, although Van Buyten clearly committed a foul before equalising. If we’d managed to hold the lead for longer, we might have ended up winning the game. We could have done better today.”

Ioannis Amanatidis (Frankfurt captain): “We were the better team against one of the best clubs in Europe for 60 minutes today, but then we were brutally punished. They’ve hit us twice on the break and gone away with a totally undeserved victory.”

Markus Pröll (Frankfurt keeper): “I think the game turned on us not taking our chances. You know you’re not going to get many chances against Bayern, so you have to put them away when they come along, and that we didn’t do. We’re very, very disappointed, because that was a game we could have won.“

Toni at the double in Reds’ rousing fightback

Two-goal Luca Toni moved to 20 for the campaign as youthful Bayern produced a stirring second-half display to come from behind in Frankfurt.

A raucous 51,500 full house at the sumptuously-appointed Commerzbank Arena saw Benjamin Köhler put the home side one up on the half-hour with the first headed goal the leaders have conceded all season, and it could have been worse if Ioannis Amanatidis had not shanked wide of an open goal a minute before the break.

The Bavarians were rewarded for their domination of possession and a considerably more inventive start to the second half when Daniel Van Buyten headed the equaliser on the hour, and the turnaround was completed by Toni’s ruthless double strike in the last quarter of an hour, taking the Italian to an astonishing 33 goals in 40 games this term.

An 18th league win in 29 matches takes Bayern to 63 points, ten clear of second-placed Werder Bremen, and now in with a theoretical chance of wrapping up a 21st domestic title in their next game, a home meeting with champions Stuttgart on 27 April.

General shuffles the deck

With the Cup final but three days away, Ottmar Hitzfeld unsurprisingly rang the changes and made five alterations to the side which thrashed Dortmund at the weekend. Michael Rensing deputised for the injured Olli Kahn, with Jose Sosa, Toni Kroos, Franck Ribery and captain for the night Lucio in for the rested Demichelis, Lahm and Podolski, and the suspended Zé Roberto.

As Bastian Schweinsteiger, Andreas Ottl and Christian Lell also lined up along with fellow U-24 men Sosa, Kroos and Ribery, and with seniors such as Kahn, Ze and Mark van Bommel absent, it was the youngest Munich starting line-up in the Bundesliga since 1995.

Uninspired Munich

The match opened with a couple of scares for the visitors, Czech wunderkind Martin Fenin failing to exploit a Rensing miscue with just seconds played, and Lucio hacking clear off the line after the Bayern keeper took the sting off an Amanatidis effort from six yards.

Sosa shot across goal and Kroos hit the side-netting before Eintracht keeper Markus Pröll dealt capably with a Luca Toni snapshot, but the brief rally petered out and stalemate set in as the players struggled with the increasingly slippery surface.

In the circumstances, the home side’s 29th-minute opener came out of the blue, former Munich reserve Patrick Ochs scampering clear down the right and swinging a cross to the back post where the unmarked Köhler headed back across Rensing and into the corner.

Daniel’s leveller

The leaders pounded the packed Frankfurt defence but had nothing to show before the break other than another Kroos drive, and there was a huge let-off for the Bavarians on the stroke of half-time when Fenin rounded Rensing and cut the ball back for Amanatidis, only for the Eintracht skipper to slice horribly wide.

Kroos gave way to Podolski for the second half, and there was a greater sense of urgency about the visitors as Pröll just applied fingertips to a slithering Ribery prod, before beating away a scuffed Lell drive and grasping a Sagnol curler at the second attempt.

Rensing pushed a Fenin shot onto the bar as Eintracht briefly threatened, but the momentum was with Bayern now and Van Buyten expertly held off Mexican defender Aaron Galindo to meet Schweinsteiger’s inswinging corner and level the scores on the hour.

Goals 19 and 20 for Luca

The equaliser brought the game to life in a big way, Toni drawing a good save from Pröll and Amanatidis netting but being called back for offside after Rensing parried Markus Weissenberger’s skidding drive.

But the Italian was not to be denied for long, thumping home a loose ball from close range on 74 minutes for his 19th league goal of the campaign after Schweinsteiger’s determined scrap with two defenders on the edge of the six-yard box.

Jan Schlaudraff, a replacement for the tiring Ribery, kept the Frankfurt defence busy with a couple of darting runs, and Lahm also made a late appearance for the limping Sagnol. Schlaudraff, reported to be on his way out of the club at the end of the season, capped a fine cameo with a sprint and cross for Toni to lash home with five minutes remaining, crowning an excellent second half comeback by the champions-elect.

Live match report for fcbayern.de by Chris Hamley


Eintracht Frankfurt - Bayern Munich 1-3 (H-T: 1-0)

Eintracht Frankfurt:		Pröll - Ochs, Galindo, Russ, Spycher - Inamoto, Fink (Caio 80) - Fenin, Köhler, Weissenberger (Heller 71) - Amanatidis
Bayern Munich:		Rensing - Sagnol (Lahm 78), Lucio, van Buyten, Lell - Sosa, Ottl, Schweinsteiger, Ribérry (Schlaudraff 68), Kroos (Podolski 46) - Toni
Substitutes:		Kraft, Demichelis, Lahm, Breno
Referee:		Babak Rafati (Hanover)
Goals:		1-0 Köhler (29), 1-1 Van Buyten (60), 1-2 Toni (74), 1-3 Toni (85)
Yellow Cards:		Lucio / Fenin

Flamini, Deco Linked With Bayern

Bayern Munich sporting director Uli Hoeness has suggested that the club will swoop for a high profile out-of-contract central midfielder this summer, with Arsenal's Mathieu Flamini and Barcelona's Deco top of the list.

The Münchner are strong down the flanks but feel they need to strengthen in the middle of the park to allow for a serious title challenge in next season's Champions League.

Bayern officials are said to be frustrated with Mark Van Bommel's on-field discipline problems, while in any case next season will be Brazilian midfielder Zé Roberto's last with the club.

Bosman Signing?

The Bundesliga leaders spent a club-record €25m last season to bring French winger Franck Ribéry in from Marseille, but Hoeness hinted that Bayern may not need to splash the cash this time around.

"Once again, we're ready to bring in a high quality player," he said on ZDF programme Sportstudio when quizzed about the midfield situation. "You don't always need to spend millions. Sometimes players come on free transfers."

Flamini And Deco The Favourites

German tabloid Bild are reporting that the two frontrunners are Arsenal's out of contract midfielder Mathieu Flamini, who has repeatedly been linked with a move to Juventus, and Barcelona's Deco.

The Portuguese has two more years on his deal, but can buy himself out for 10million euros - a sum Bayern will and some Serie A sides are supposedly only too happy to pay.

With Luca Toni, Miroslav Klose and Franck Ribery in the team, there is no shortage of stars, and with that comes the guarantee of Champions League football, making a move to Bavaria all the more attractive.

No To De Rossi?

This news would appear to suggest the Rekordmeister are leaning away from trying to sign Roma's Daniele De Rossi - the Italian international has been monitored closely by chiefs at the Allianz Arena but in contrast to Deco and Flamini would cost quite a lot of money.

Bayern Step Up Behrami Interest

German top club Bayern Munich are looking to bolster their squad ahead of their return to the Champions League next season, and word is that Lazio standout Valon Behrami is becoming an increasingly important target.

With the league title all but sown up, Bayern have been front and centre when it comes to international transfer rumours of late, and just this week they have been heavily linked with Gennaro Gattuso, Mathieu Flamini, Daniele De Rossi, Deco, and Sebastien Frey. Now, Behrami's name is the latest to fill the sports gossip columns in Bavaria.

Fiorentina have been courting the Swiss international for several months already, and his match-winning display against deadly rivals Roma last month has also reportedly roused the interest of Spanish sides Valencia and Sevilla, as well as Premiership club West Ham. This is on top of recent reports that the likes of Milan, Liverpool, Tottenham and Palermo, have been tracking the 22-year-old wing-back for some time as well.

Word is that the Biancoceleste are determined to hang on to Behrami, but would likely not turn down an offer in excess of 10m euro for the Kosovo-born wide-man, who still officially has three years remaining on his contract with the Italian capital club.

Lazio president Claudio Lotito will now have to make a full-court press in order to try to keep the player, who openly criticised him for leaving the stadium well before the whistle during the 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Milan earlier this season.

Derek Wanner, Goal.com

De Rossi To Bayern?

Bayern striker Luca Toni has voiced his desire for the club to sign another Italian and according to the Bild newspapers information, de Rossi is the man the Bayern bosses have in mind.

The Roma midfielder was linked with a move to Bayern last summer and the rumours of his arrival look set to be put in motion yet again.

The rumours that Bayern are looking for a replacement for van Bommel have intensified in recent days following his second red card within the space of a few weeks at the weekend against Bochum.

Following the latest sending off Bayern trainer Ottmar Hitzfeld commented: “We’ve discussed one or two situations.”

The Luca Toni factor cannot be underestimated either. “It is no secret that I would love to have another Italian in the team” Toni explained.

“My colleagues ask me a lot about life in Munich. The club have to decide, but I would be delighted if they did.”

The arrival of de Rossi would certainly please the Bundesliga’s leading scorer as it is understood the two have a good relationship.

Mathew Burt

Rummenigge Rules Out Lahm Exit

German international Lahm is currently in the midst of contract negotiations with the Bavarians over an extension to his current deal, but Rummenigge has rule out Lahm leaving the club before 2009 even if the talks break down.

“It is certain he will remain here until the end of his contract with us, even if it should not be extended" said Rummenigge.

Bayern Munich have sought to inject some urgency into the contract negotiations with the full back with Spanish giants Barcelona interested in Lahm.

“We have held productive, open and fair talks” Rummenigge explained. “He would be well advised to go further with us.

“We are very happy and contented with him. We do know what he means to us and he knows as well what we mean to him.”

Lahm is known to be a favourite of incoming Bayern Munich boss Jürgen Klinsmann after starring in the German national team that finished third at the 2006 World Cup.

Berbatov: Milan Talk Is Flattering

Dimitar Berbatov is a wanted man - wanted by most of the biggest clubs in Europe. But Tottenham say they have no intention of letting him go.

However, that has nevber seemed to deter Berbvatov's agent from letting potential new employers know that the Bulgarian would willing to listen to any overtures.

And it seems Berbatov has now sparked renewed speculation about his future whilst talking to the local media in Bulgaria.

Berbatov was in Sofia to receive an award and promote the launch of his own sporting foundation. Whilst in his homeland he was asked about his future by the local media.

And he revealed that there was already interest in him from AC Milan.

"All I can say is that there was an interest from the Italian club, that is all I can say," said Berbatov when asked about Milan.

"If it produces negotiations I will be flattered."

He was also asked about Manchester United's known admiration of him, replying: "I know that Sir Alex [Ferguson] wants me for a quite a while, but at the moment I am a player of Tottenham."

His future at White Hart Lane will no doubt be the subject of considered discussion by Tottenham's coach, Juande Ramos, in the summer.

Ramos will be overhaul the Spurs squad, despite their success in winning the Carling Cup, with both the entrance and exit doors at the Lane expected to be busy.

Mark Hinton, Goal.com

Tottenham Open Modric Talks

The 22-year-old playmaker has been linked to a host of clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle United after impressing for club and country in recent months.

Juande Ramos is keen to start his rebuilding programme at White Hart Lane with a creative midfielder and believes that Modric could bring the flair and vision that he wants.

Dynamo president, Zdravko Mamic, has slapped a €25m asking price on the player's head, but a more realistic fee should materialise after talks.

While the midfield is a key part of the Tottenham team that needs strengthening, Ramos knows that other areas also need to be padded out during the summer months.

The fact that Tottenham officials are talking to Dynamo is a step forward after weeks of speculation about potential targets for the north London outfit.

A number of players from the Spanish league have been linked with Espanyol keeper Carlos Kameni reported to have agreed a switch by the English media, a story that was swiftly denied in Barcelona.

Ian Dixon, Goal.com

Juve Agree Amauri Deal With Palermo

The Brazilian striker has been the Bianconeri’s number transfer target for several weeks now.

The Corriere says that Juve sporting director Alessio Secco has agreed with his Palermo counterpart Rino Foschi to sign Amauri for €10.5m plus Antonio Nocerino and Marco Marchionni.

Secco is also said to be toying with the option of including Domenico Criscito as part of the exchange, in order to further lower Amauri’s transfer fee.

Juventus boss Claudio Ranieri is believed to be much happier with this deal, than the original exchange that almost went through.

Secco had reportedly agreed to sign Amauri for €15m plus young starlets Sebastian Giovinco, Paolo De Ceglie and Claudio Marchisio.

Ranieri then vetoed the deal at the last minute, and all three players are now expected to return from their current loan spells to play for Juventus next season.

As for Amauri, he will compete with Alessandro Del Piero, David Trezeguet and Vincenzo Iaquinta for a forward starting berth, with Raffaele Palladino almost certain to be sold in order to make room.

Gianni Wilson

Record books offer little encouragement

If the record books are any guide to current form, Bayern’s chances of making the UEFA Cup semi-finals at Getafe’s expense look slim. Only once in four attempts have Germany’s most successful club avoided elimination from a European competition following a 1-1 home draw in the first leg.

The solitary success came in the 1990-91 European Cup, a 2-0 win in a quarter-final return leg away to FC Porto thanks to goals from Christian Ziege and Manfred Bender.

Never out after 1-1 away draw

By contrast, Bayern have been knocked out three times after drawing 1-1 in Munich: twice in the Champions League Round of 16 against Real Madrid (2004) and AC Milan (2006), and in a European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final against Glasgow Rangers (1972).

The Bavarians have a flawless record in the reverse situation, when they have played the second leg at home after a 1-1 away draw. The men in red have progressed to the next stage on all 12 occasions so far.

Return legs after a 1-1 draw in the first leg:

Champions Cup / Champions League:
1972-73 1st Round Galatasaray Istanbul 6-0 (H)
1973-74 Semi-final Ujpest Budapest 3-0 (H)
1975-76 Semi-final Real Madrid 2-0 (H)
1990-91 Quarter-final FC Porto 2-0 (A)
1999-00 Quarter-final FC Porto 2-1 (H)
2003-04 Round of 16 Real Madrid 0-1 (A)*
2005-06 Round of 16 AC Milan 1-4 (A)*

European Cup Winners’ Cup:
1966-67 1st Round Tatran Presow 3-2 (H)
1966-67 Round of 16 Shamrock Rovers 3-2 (H)
1967-68 Quarter-final FC Valencia 1-0 (H)
1971-72 Quarter-final Steaua Bukarest 0-0 (H)
1971-72 Semi-final Glasgow Rangers 0-2 (A)*
1982-83 1st Round Torpedo Moskau 0-0 (H)
1982-83 Round of 16 Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 (H)

UEFA Cup:
1991-92 1st Round Cork City 2-0 (H)

* eliminated
(H) Home
(A) Away

FCB fired up for classic European night

Bayern are long on confidence and short on nerves as they approach the most important fixture of the campaign so far, the UEFA Cup quarter-final return away to Getafe on Thursday evening (Live in English from 8.30 pm on FCB.tv Web radio). After last week’s 1-1 draw in Munich, the Bundesliga leaders must win or draw while scoring at least twice to progress to the next stage.

“It’ll be a real fight, it’s going to be very, very hard,” Bayern general manager Uli Hoeneß warned ahead of the clash at the 16,000-capacity Coliseum Alfonso Perez in the southern suburbs of Madrid. “But I’m really looking forward to it,” the board director insisted. Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld licked his lips at the prospect of “a big European night in a cauldron of a stadium,” and declared himself confident of success. “We’re going there with an amount of pent-up fury. We’re perfectly capable of winning away, and we still have an excellent chance.”

Final on foreign soil

Four days after a morale-boosting 3-1 win for Bayern’s ten men against VfL Bochum, the players are oozing “morale, energy and belief,” captain Oliver Kahn reported. “We all know it’s an uphill task, and you can feel the concentration as we approach this match,” the 38-year-old continued, “it’s like a final on foreign soil.”

Despite the home draw, “the watching world will still regard us as favourites,” but the match in Munich illustrated the quality of the team lying eleventh in La Liga. “Given the football Getafe play, it’s definitely an evenly-matched contest. We’ll have to impose ourselves on the game first,” Kahn warned. “But we’re not beaten yet. We’re looking forward to a fabulous night of European Cup football. We’ll get through, even if we have to do it on penalties.”

Seizing the initiative

Bayern will hope matters do not reach that stage, especially as last weekend’s heroics cost a great deal of energy. “We weren’t expecting to have to work as hard for victory as we did. We were hoping to be nicely rested for Getafe, but it wasn’t to be. On the other hand, we’re brimming with confidence and morale, which may make up for the lost energy,” Hoeneß mused.

“We’re always good for a goal or two away from home,” Hitzfeld pointed out. Luca Toni remains the leading scorer in the competition on eight goals. The coach felt Getafe would “keep it very tight and attempt to control the match.” Bayern would need to show patience, “but we also need to be bold. We need to play it our way and try to seize the initiative.”

Van Buyten pulls out

Hoeneß felt the Spaniards, fresh from a goalless draw away to Barcelona at the weekend, “won’t risk going for a 0-0 draw. They’ll want to win it, but we’ve generally managed to score away from home wherever we’ve been this season.” Miroslav Klose’s lively display as a substitute against Bochum appears to have earned him a starting berth alongside Toni. “He showed the reaction I was looking for. He made a big contribution to us turning it around against Bochum,” Hitzfeld observed.

The Bayern boss picks from close on a full squad. Michael Rensing returns to the party after dental surgery, but Daniel van Buyten was a late withdrawal on Wednesday with a knee problem. Breno will fly to Spain as back-up. Hitzfeld is definitely without Hamit Altintop (fractured metatarsal) and Willy Sagnol (fitness).

Love Madrid

Some 12 kilometres to the south of the famous Bernabeu, scene of many a might duel with Real Madrid down the years, the Bavarians now face a classic do-or-die situation. “It may be that we need this kind of pressure to reach our full potential,” mused Kahn, “we’re Bayern Munich and won’t wet ourselves at the prospect of travelling to Getafe.” Summoning up the ghosts of past glories, Hitzfeld radiated confidence: “Madrid has always been a happy place for us. I remain convinced we’ll go all the way to the final.”

‘He’s what you call a world-class defender’

Lucio’s reaction to his 31st-minute equaliser for Bayern against Bochum on Sunday was, as ever, inimitable. The Brazil stopper, a tidal wave of emotion visibly pouring from his frame, raced to the corner flag, clapped his hand repeatedly to the club crest on his shirt, screamed and gesticulated at the crowd to beef up their support, and finally turned for the centre-circle with grim determination etched on his features.

Bayern were already a goal and a man down at that point in the match, following the visitors’ fourth-minute opener and Mark van Bommel’s sending-off on 27 minutes. “Our situation wasn’t great at the time,“ Lucio reasoned afterwards, “so equalising was the best answer.“

Vital goals

The 29-year-old is a man of few words off the field, but a tremendous inspiration on it, especially when the going gets tough, a scenario in which he is hard to restrain in his defensive position behind the halfway line. One of his many giant-striding thrusts forward allowed him to deliver the cross which prompted the handball leading to Franck Ribéry making the score 2-1 from the spot.

Lucio’s goal, his first in the Bundesliga for 17 months, was his 21st overall in 202 appearances. When he does hit the target, it is almost always at a crucial time: his two goals in this season’s UEFA Cup were openers against Aberdeen and Anderlecht. He struck in both legs of last season’s Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, and his last Bundesliga strike was an equaliser away to Köln in October 2005.

Will to win

“Lucio is a very spirited player. He loses his patience when we go a goal behind and attempts to pull everyone along with him,“ commented Ottmar Hitzfeld, who has attempted to curb the Brazilian’s natural instinct to get forward at every possible opportunity. “I know defending is my priority,” Lucio himself conceded, “but one or two bursts per match must be possible.“ That was certainly the case against Bochum. “When you’re a man down, the defenders have to help out up front,“ remarked Martin Demichelis.

For all his marching through the centre of the field, Lucio in no way neglected his defensive duties on Sunday. “Lucio was unbelievable, he had one of his best games of the season,“ Demichelis said admiringly. “After Mark was sent off, Lucio looked at me and said: Micho, we’re going to win this,“ the Argentine revealed.

Emotional and world-class

“It all came from the heart,“ Lucio declared, explaining his celebratory gesture with the club crest. That passion and will to win makes the Brazil skipper a precious commodity for Bayern. “Lucio is unbelievably motivated at the moment,“ reflected Oliver Kahn, “he has to play with his heart on his sleeve, the way I do from time to time. He’s what you call a world-class defender.“

Christian Lell: It’s a really terrific feeling

Christian Lell is unlikely to forget the 88th minute of Sunday’s meeting with VfL Bochum in a hurry. Bursting onto a sublime Miroslav Klose backheel, the Munich-born full-back cracked a shot into the far corner of the net to make it 3-1 to the men in red. The overjoyed Lell thus broke a top flight scoring duck which had lasted 65 Bundesliga appearances, 39 of them in Bayern colours. The 23-year-old had already netted for the senior team, but that was the fifth in FCB’s 6-0 UEFA Cup demolition of Aris Salonika. fcbayern.de caught up with the beaming goalscorer afterwards and discussed a crucial victory over VfL. Interview: Christian Lell fcbayern.de: Christian, congratulations on the win and on the goal, your first in the Bundesliga. Christian Lell: “That’s right. Funnily enough, I sat with Miroslav Klose at lunch today, and he was telling me about finishing top scorer at the World Cup. I told him I wouldn’t mind scoring one myself – and he promptly set one up for me. It’s a really terrific feeling.“ fcbayern.de: You made heavy weather of it at first against Bochum. Is it possible that Mark van Bommel’s sending off was the wake-up call you needed? Lell: “We fell behind to a hopeful effort which flew in at the top corner. It’s the kind of thing which only seems to happen against us. But it’s definitely the case that we were totally fired up after the sending-off, the fans cheered us on and each and every one of us found another ten or twenty percent. We applied a great deal of pressure and penned Bochum back in their half.“ fcbayern.de: Did that get the adrenalin flowing nicely ready for the return against Getafe? Lell: “Definitely. We were determined to win today and set off for Getafe on a high. That wouldn’t have been easy on the back of a defeat.“ fcbayern.de: Could it be that you’re in a very different mood for Getafe, compared to how you’d feel after a routine 1-0 win? Lell: “Absolutely. We’ve turned a match on its head today and we’ll go to Spain on a roll. We’re aiming to win in Getafe and get through to the next round.“

Ten Man Bayern Defeat Bochum

Bayern triumphed 2-1 at the Allianz Arena with only ten men after the first half sending off of Mark van Bommel. The Dutchman was shown two yellow cards for persistent fouling after Mimoun Azaough had fired Bochum ahead.

A Lucio header equalised in the first half before Franck Ribéry stroked home a second half penalty. Christian Lell finished things off late on to hand Bayern a potentially vital three points.

First Half

Bayern knew that a win would see them go nine points clear at the top of the table and they began brightly with Ribéry missing a good chance after just three minutes.

Lell broke down the right, crossed to Luca Toni, who controlled the ball instantly before laying the ball off to Ribéry. The Frenchman however didn’t wrap his foot around the ball enough and fired wide when everybody expected him to stroke it into the back of the net.

Sixty seconds later though and the visitors took a shock early lead. Danny Fuchs played the ball to Mimoun Azaough just outside the penalty area and the midfielder let fly with a speculative shot that caught Oliver Kahn by surprise as it flew into the top corner of the net.

Despite the early set back, Bayern continued to try and play their normal game and very nearly grabbed the equaliser on the quarter hour mark through Ribéry.

A back heel from Zé Roberto fed Luca Toni and he cleverly found the forward run of Ribéry. Through on goal, the French winger however was only able fire narrowly wide with only Lastuvka to beat.

Bochum continued to look lively as well and nearly caught Bayern napping on 20 minutes with a quickly taken corner from Azaough. His pass was hit first time by Fuchs but fizzed just wide of Oliver Kahn’s post. Bayern for their part were not taking their foot off the gas either and were keeping the Bochum back line occupied.

Firstly Maltritz had to be on his toes to clear the ball before Zé Roberto could shoot, then Demichelis flicked on for Lucio to fire just wide of Lastuvka’s goal.

Bayern suffered a further setback on 27 minutes when midfielder Mark van Bommel saw his second yellow card of the afternoon for persistent fouling and was promptly sent off by referee Weiner.

The home side however reacted to the red card by promptly grabbing the equaliser on 31 minutes. Bastian Schweinsteiger fired in a free kick from the right hand side into the six-yard box where Lucio jumped the highest to nick the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.

Five minutes later and the scene was very nearly repeated with Toni rising to head a Schweinsteiger free kick, only for Lastuvka to save. Bayern weren’t playing like a team with ten men and Ribéry fired in another fine effort after foxing Yahia on the edge of the area.

Second Half

The impressive Azaough had to be replaced at the start of the second 45 minutes due to an ankle injury with Tommy Bechmann coming on.

Bayern began on the front foot and Ribéry got himself to the bye-line three minutes in before crossing to Demichelis, who couldn’t manage to direct his header under pressure from Bönig.

Bochum’s first chance of the second half fell to Benjamin Auer on the hour mark after he beat Martin Demichelis but Kahn was on hand to save with relative ease.

Just after the hour mark Bayern were shouting for a penalty when Lell went down in the area under the challenge of Yahia but the referee waved their appeals away.

Bayern continued to look the more likely to score, even with their man disadvantage. On 69 minutes Ribéry crossed from the left and Luca Toni saw his header fly just wide of the right hand post.

Then with around 15 minutes remaining Bayern were handed a penalty after Pfertzel handled in the Bochum Area. Frank Ribéry stepped up and beat Jan Lastuvka even though the Czech keeper guessed the right way.

Bochum made a few substitutions in an effort to regain parity and with eight minutes left Bönig crossed causing Demichelis problems. He eventually cleared the danger with Auer sniffing around.

Bayern sealed the win on 88 minutes with Christian Lell advancing and putting the finishing touches to a fine move involving Klose and Toni. Luca Toni had a golden chance to make it four late on, but he missed the target narrowly.

Goals:

0-1 Azaough (4)

1-1 Lucio (31)

2-1 Ribéry (74 pen)

3-1 Lell (88)

Bayern Munich: Kahn, Lell, Lahm, Lucio, Demichelis, van Bommel, Zé Roberto (Sosa 72), Schweinsteiger (Ottl 65), Ribéry, Toni, Podolski (Klose 65)

Bochum: Lastuvka, Pfertzel, Maltritz, Yahia, Bönig, Imhof, Schröder (Mieciel 79), Fuchs (Epalle 76), Azaough (Bechmann 46), Sestak, Auer

Mathew Burt

Klinsmann visit was agreed with Hitzfeld

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has expressed incomprehension at a raging media debate over Jürgen Klinsmann’s presence at Bayern’s midweek UEFA Cup tie against Getafe. “I really don’t understand the whole affair,“ Rummenigge stated on Saturday in an appearance as a studio expert for Premiere TV.

The former world-class striker emphasised that the team knew nothing of Klinsmann’s presence at the Allianz Arena, “so there’s no way they can have been distracted or put off,“ Rummenigge pointed out.

Hitzfeld in agreement

Furthermore, the Bayern boss continued, Klinsmann had sought Ottmar Hitzfeld’s permission to attend the match when the pair dined together the previous evening. “It must have been a very productive conversation, or so I’ve heard. At the end of the chat, Jürgen asked Ottmar if his coming to the match would be a problem. If it had been a problem, Jürgen obviously wouldn’t have come. Ottmar answered: it’s no problem at all, hopefully you’ll see us win a good game.“

Rummenigge urged all parties “to stay relaxed about the whole thing. We’re in good shape at the moment and shouldn’t be making problems for ourselves.“

Bayern poised for decisive title thrust

Bayern will hope to feed off their lingering anger and irritation at Getafe’s last-minute strike in the 1-1 UEFA Cup draw last Thursday when the men in red turn their attention back to the Bundesliga at home to VfL Bochum on Sunday (Live in English from 4.45 pm on FCB.tv Web Radio). “We’re looking forward to the match, because we owe the crowd something,” Ottmar Hitzfeld commented.

“I hope Bochum feel the force of our pent-up frustration,” the Bayern coach continued. “We have to invest everything we’ve got. This is not the time to let up, even though we already have a nice cushion. We could set off for Getafe on a high,” observed Marcell Jansen, with an eye on next Thursday’s return leg in the Madrid suburbs.

Aiming for two home wins

Before Hitzfeld and his troops go in search of a UEFA Cup semi-final berth, they could take a decisive step towards a 21st German league title on Sunday. Saturday’s results included a 1-0 defeat for Hamburg in Stuttgart, so victory over Bochum would send Bayern nine points clear of new second-placed team Schalke 04, 1-0 winners at home to Rostock.

“The important thing is to win our consecutive home games against Bochum and Dortmund. It would make it very tough for our rivals, because the games are running out,” commented chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, describing Hamburg’s defeat as “great news for us." Hitzfeld agreed with the club chief. “We need to make the most of back-to-back home games and increase our lead at the top.”

VfL in good form

However, Sunday’s match will be anything but a walkover. Eleventh-placed Bochum are undefeated in six matches and have only lost once since the winter break. “Bochum have done exceptionally well so far,” acknowledged Hitzfeld. “Everyone thinks we only have to turn up and collect the points, but it won’t be that easy,” Mark van Bommel warned.

The men from the Ruhr valley have amassed a creditable 33 points, a full ten clear of the drop zone, and will be under no pressure at the Allianz Arena. “It’s a good feeling coming to Munich knowing you don’t need the points,” remarked VfL striker Benjamin Auer, although that did not mean his side would surrender without a fight. “Obviously, it would be great to take a point or three off Bayern.“

Hitzfeld focusing on UEFA Cup

Hitzfeld demanded “concentration and desire” from his team, calling for “a win to give us breathing space in the Bundesliga. I’m convinced we’ll come though in the UEFA Cup, so we’ll still have a couple of demanding games in Europe.“ Matches against Bochum, Getafe and Dortmund promise a tense and exciting week at the club.

Away leg ‘will now be like a final’

Unnecessary and annoying,” thought Lukas Podolski, “fatal,” groaned Uli Hoeneß, while Luca Toni was simply “pissed off“. Cosmin Contra’s 90th-minute equaliser to snatch a 1-1 draw for Getafe in Thursday’s UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg at the Allianz Arena left the Bayern camp fuming. The veteran Romanian’s last-gasp strike certainly makes Munich’s task in next week’s return dramatically more difficult than it need have been. “It’s also thrown a damper on our morale,” acknowledged Ottmar Hitzfeld, “but it’s no reason to hang our heads.“

The opposite should be the case, the Bayern coach continued. “We’ll be a little angry when we go there. We’ll be thinking it’s time to show them who’s boss,” the General opined. Oliver Kahn practically rubbed his hands with glee at the prospect. “We’re set for a fantastic European night, with all that involves,” declared the Munich skipper, “it definitely won’t be a 0-0 draw.“

State of anticipation

If it was to end scoreless Bayern would be out, so the men in red will go for goal in Getafe. “It’ll now be like a final,” said Hitzfeld, as his team face the prospect of genuine pressure in a UEFA Cup return leg for the first time this term. “It’ll be a closely-fought match and very, very difficult. I’m looking forward to it,” remarked Hoeneß, billing the match as a test of Bayern’s maturity. “A knock-out tie comprises two matches. A truly great team must be capable of winning the second.“

The first half on Thursday indicated that Bayern certainly have the means with which to defeat Getafe. The 62,000 at the Allianz Arena saw the home side create chance after chance, finally taking the lead courtesy of Luca Toni’s eighth goal of the competition on 26 minutes. “We played really well in the first half and should have led 2-0 at half-time. We created chances every two or three minutes,“ Hitzfeld reflected.

Too many gaps

However, Bayern neglected to add a second, despite what Hitzfeld described as “amazing chances on the break” in the second half. “It was no surprise we ran into trouble after that,” Hoeneß pointed out, although Bayern protected their lead until the last minute before Contra netted. “But you felt the goal was bound to come,” mused Lukas Podolski.

Indeed, Bayern began to lose their shape a little before the first half was out, as large gaps opened up between the various areas of the team. “The spaces became too large to fill, which made it difficult to keep control of the game,” commented Mark van Bommel. Getafe were quick to exploit the gaps and created a number of presentable chances, before “a chain reaction of defensive mistakes“ (Hitzfeld) finally paved the way for the not undeserved equaliser.

’We’ll get through’

“We have only ourselves to blame,” lamented Bastian Schweinsteiger, a sentiment echoed by Marcell Jansen: “We either had to wrap it up, or else keep it tight enough to protect the lead until the final whistle.“ Bayern will now look to bring home considerably better results against Bochum on Sunday, and a week from now in Getafe.

No-one in the Munich camp is contemplating elimination from Europe. “Everyone’s talking as if we were already out,” complained Van Bommel, preferring to take the line adopted by Kahn: “There’s still everything to play for. We’ll get through, even if it takes penalties.“

‘The draw could work to our advantage’

The Bayern camp was understandably subdued following Thursday’s 1-1 draw at home to Getafe in the UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg. Cosmin Contra’s 90th minute equaliser robbed the Bundesliga giants of a victory they could easily have wrapped up earlier in the match, and means next week’s trip to the Madrid suburbs will be a knife-edge affair. Bayern captain Oliver Kahn faced the press afterwards, but the keeper felt there were positives to be gleaned from the night’s events.

Oliver Kahn after the Getafe match:

Question: Oliver Kahn, how angry are you after conceding a last-minute equaliser?
Oliver Kahn: “I’m not angry at all, I even think it could work to our advantage, otherwise we might have been tempted to give it less than 100 percent in Getafe. Instead, we’re set for a fantastic European night, with all that involves. We’re always capable of scoring, so it definitely won’t be a 0-0 draw.“

Question: Getafe are anything but easy opponents, so it’ll be a tough match to win.
Kahn: “So we’ll draw 2-2, which would be enough as well.“

Question: Do you really believe that?
Kahn: “Of course I believe it. Getafe are a good team, we all saw that tonight. They’re hardly a pub team, they have the results to prove it with away wins against Barcelona, Real Madrid and Tottenham, and they played very well in Lisbon. They’re simply a strong team with nothing to lose, with some very good footballers. But as I say, we’re looking forward to a big European night, and there’s still everything to play for. We’ll get through, even if it needs penalties.“

Question: You had Getafe well under control for long periods, but they fought their way back into the match. Did you run out of steam, or did Getafe sense they could get a result?
Kahn: “We played well for 35 minutes and had the game under control. But the course of the match suddenly turned, and we let Getafe have too many chances. That’s always likely to happen against a team with nothing to lose and some very, very good players. But we’re Bayern Munich, and we’re not going to wet ourselves just because we have to go there and get a result.“

Hitzfeld: We’re still in with a great chance

After Getafe’s last-minute equaliser to seal a 1-1 draw in the UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg, Bayern must now win the return or draw while scoring at least twice to make the semi-finals. The German league leaders dominated the first period but failed to make the most of a couple of excellent chances on the break after that. Despite the draw, coach Ottmar Hitzfeld remained upbeat: “We’re very strong away from home, so we can go there and win. I remain optimistic about our chances of going through.“

Reaction to Bayern v Getafe CF

Ottmar Hitzfeld: “We played really well in the first half and should have led 2-0 at half-time. We created chances every two or three minutes. Getafe applied the pressure for quarter of an hour after the break, but we controlled the game again after that. We had glorious chances on the break and we’ve got to be making it 2-0. But if you don’t get the second, you’re always going to come under pressure at the end. Getafe refused to accept a 1-0 defeat, they kept coming at us. They have terrific morale, and they ground out an equaliser. We had the chances for a much better result than that, but we still have a great chance of going through, although obviously we could have made it a lot easier for ourselves. 3-1 or 4-1 would have been the right result today. Now we’ll need to concentrate like never before when we go there, but we’re very strong away from home, so we can go there and win. I remain optimistic about our chances of going through.“

Lukas Podolski: “We played very well for the first 20 minutes, for the whole of the first half in fact, but it was all a bit ominous in the second half. Getafe came into it more and more, they made chances like the one that hit the post, and then we’ve given away a stupid goal. We had chances of our own, but we didn’t put them away. Now we’ll have to go there and do our best to win the game.“

Mark van Bommel: “You sensed an equaliser was coming. There was a huge hole in midfield when they scored. Our rearguard was lined up across the penalty area, and the rest of the players were up the other end. That can’t be happening at that stage in a European tie. But we’ve scored goals away from home wherever we’ve been, and now we’ll go to Getafe knowing we have to score there as well. Obviously, we can’t be failing to take our chances like that. It would have been over if we’d made it 2-0.“

Bastian Schweinsteiger: “We had enough clear-cut chances. It would have been a completely different match if we’d made it 2-0. But as we all saw, Getafe are capable of very good football. They didn’t beat Real Madrid and Barcelona by chance. We’ve failed to wrap it up here and now. The fact it’s ended as a draw is our own fault. We didn’t deliver up front today.“

Michael Laudrup (Getafe coach): “We faced a very good Bayern Munich in the first half, and we also showed far too much respect, especially in the first ten minutes. We matched them in the second half. We applied a lot of pressure in the last 10 or 15 minutes, we had the bulk of the possession, and we managed to strike right at the end. I think it’s wide open in the return, but we mustn’t think we can just set out our stall and defend.“

FCB with it all to do as Getafe snatch draw

Bayern must score at least once and avoid defeat in Spain next week after Getafe struck at the death to force a draw in the UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg.

The 62,000 who braved intermittent sleet and driving rain at the Allianz Arena rose to hail yet another Luca Toni opening goal after 26 minutes as the home side dominated the first half-hour, but the Spaniards rallied towards the end of the half and Bayern were pleased enough to turn round a goal to the good.

Spanish strength

Casquero missed a sitter as the visitors continued to press after the restart, but Munich clawed their way back only for Toni and Franck Ribery to squander quality openings on the break.

There was another almighty let-off for the Bundesliga leaders when Getafe sub Manu headed against the post in a frantic last ten minutes, but fellow replacement Cosmin Contra went one better with a sweet finish in the 90th minute for a late but ultimately not undeserved equaliser.

Poldi from the off

Bayern boss Ottmar Hitzfeld made four changes to the side held by Nuremberg last Saturday. Weekend goalscorer Lukas Podolski earned a widely-predicted start in place of Miroslav Klose, with fit-again Martin Demichelis returning to the team at Daniel van Buyten’s expense.

Mark van Bommel, suspended in the Bundesliga, shook off a dose of the flu to resume in midfield instead of Andreas Ottl, with Philipp Lahm replacing Christian Lell at right-back and freeing up the right midfield berth for Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Getafe boss Michael Laudrup was forced to field a makeshift defence after losing Belenguer and Cata Diaz to injury and Lucas Licht to a ban, although the inclusion of third-choice Argentina keeper Oscar Ustari in place of fellow-countryman and national number one Robert Abbondanzieri came as something of a surprise.

Bayern’s bright start

Bayern immediately seized the initiative after English referee Howard Webb whistled play underway, Toni netting after just five minutes only to be hauled back and booked for nicking the ball off Ustari’s toe as the keeper shaped to kick from hand.

Tena also saw a yellow card for tripping Ze Roberto as the Brazilian hared clear 20 yards from goal, before Ribery, Podolski and Schweinsteiger all saw shots blocked or drift just wide. Podolski then warmed Ustari’s gloves and dragged his next effort past the upright, before Toni’s volley from Lahm’s cross caused a moment’s panic in the Getafe box.

The chances were coming thick and fast for the Bavarians, and it was another fierce Schweinsteiger drive which indirectly led to the overdue opener. Ustari parried for a corner, but the keeper was powerless to stop Toni’s firm header from the set-piece, expertly floated over by Schweini himself.

Spaniards fight back

Ribery, Marcell Jansen and Schweinsteiger combined fluently to create the next opening on the half-hour, but Bayern appeared to run out of steam after that and the visitors suddenly threatened, Lahm clearing a Mario header off the line and Real Madrid loan man Ruben de la Red skidding an effort narrowly wide of the target.

Mario so nearly diverted a free-kick past Oliver Kahn as the half drew to a close, and the pattern continued after the break with a huge let-off for the home side on 54 minutes, Ikechukwu Uche’s neat backheel setting up a gilt-edged chance for Casquero, only for the midfielder to float an attempted chip inches over the bar.

Last-gasp leveller

Toni headed goalwards, Podolski drove over the bar and Schweinsteiger saw a header deflected wide as Bayern reasserted their authority after the hour mark, but with Getafe still pressing forward in search of an equaliser, Toni and Ribery were both uncharacteristically let down by their close control with only Ustari to beat as Van Bommel and Podolski fashioned clear-cut openings on the break.

It was end-to-end stuff in a tense closing phase, with another escape for the Reds when sub Manu beat Kahn to a cross only to head against the post, before Pablo Hernandez curled a free-kick wide of the upright.

But after a last-minute scramble in the Munich box following a desperate Kahn block, and with at least three defenders neglecting the chance to clear, Romania veteran Contra kept his head with a classy lobbed finish to snatch a not undeserved draw and present the Germans with a mountain to climb in the return.

Live match report for fcbayern.de by Chris Hamley


Bayern Munich - Getafe CF 1-1 (H-T: 1-0)

Bayern Munich:		Kahn - Lahm, Lucio, Demichelis, Jansen (Lell 81) - Schweinsteiger, Van Bommel (Ottl 86), Zé Roberto, Ribéry - Toni (Klose 80), Podolski
Substitutes:		Rensing, Van Buyten, Sosa, Kroos
Getafe CF:		Ustari - Cortes, Mario, Manuel Tena, Signorini - Pablo Hernandez, De la Red, Casquero (Celestini 73), Granero (Contra 78) - Albin, Uche (Manu 68)
Referee:		Howard Webb (England)
Spectators:		62,000
Goals:		1-0 Toni (26), 1-1 Contra (90)
Yellow Cards:		Toni / Mario, Manuel Tena, Granero, De la Red

Laudrup: Bayern are favourites for the trophy

Despite a sobering 2-0 reverse against Osasuna in La Liga last weekend, the attitude in the Getafe camp ahead of the UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg in Munich on Thursday is one of respect but no fear, players and officials of the Spanish top flight club declared confidently after arriving in the Bavarian capital on Wednesday.

“We’ve beaten Real Madrid and Barcelona. We’ll try and take a decent result from Munich, and then seal a berth in the next round at home,” defender Mario remarked. Pedro Castro, mayor of the town of 160,000 in the southern suburbs of Madrid, predicted a 2-1 win for Getafe. “Bayern have been a bit unlucky. They’ve been drawn against one of Europe’s greatest teams.“

Aiming for three trophies

Azulones (Dark Blues) coach Michael Laudrup was slightly less forthright. “Bayern are undoubtedly one of the best teams in Europe. They’ve always been my favourites to win the trophy,” the former Real Madrid and Barcelona star commented. However, he was “very confident” of springing a surprise over two legs, “although we’re obviously aware of Bayern’s quality.“

“We’re comfortable with the underdogs’ role,“ Laudrup continued, pointing to the confidence-boosting wins against Barca and Real. Getafe, just 25 years into their existence as a club and the only Spanish team still in the hunt for three trophies, contest their second domestic Cup final in a row two weeks from now.

Consistent scorers

“I’m very pleased with what we’ve achieved as a team up to now,” the Dane declared, praising a squad largely comprising international unknowns with the exception of Argentine keeper Roberto Abbondanzieri and playmaker Rubén de la Red. “It’s a terrific phase for us, we have important, decisive matches every three days,” a visibly proud Laudrup said.

The next important encounter comes on Thursday at the Allianz Arena, where a knot of 700 travelling fans will back the visitors. “Bayern will go for a good result at home, but they’ll want to stop us scoring. That’ll be hard for them, because we’ve scored in every game in this competition so far,” the coach pointed out.

Injuries hit back four

The man regarded as one of Denmark’s all-time great players has few injury worries, but the selection question-marks are concentrated over defenders. Left-back Lucas Licht is suspended, centre-half Cata Diaz out with injury, and captain Belenguer faces a fitness test at Getafe’s final training session. In the worst case scenario, Laudrup would be without three of his regular back four.

That would rate as a blow against a Munich side which has found goals easy to come by in Europe this term. “Luca Toni, Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski are all top quality strikers,” Laudrup acknowledged. “The whole team is classy, starting with Oliver Kahn in goal, then Lahm and other household-name players. The one I like the most is the Frenchman, Franck Ribéry,” Laudrup respectfully observed.

Getafe threat calls for balancing act from FCB

The UEFA Cup is the focus this week as Bayern continue their quest for a triple trophy haul. “We’ve set ourselves the target of reaching the final,” Ottmar Hitzfeld declared ahead of Thursday evening’s quarter-final first leg at home to Getafe CF (Live in English from 8.30 pm on FCB.tv Web Radio ). Hoping for a decent result to defend in the return next week, the Bayern boss demanded a better display than last Saturday’s draw in Nürnberg. “We have to improve by 30 percent. These are the games where we have to go to the limit.“

Hitzfeld is extremely wary of the side lying 12th in Spain’s La Liga. “It won’t simply take care of itself. Getafe are a top Spanish club,” he warned, pointing to victories away to Real Madrid (1-0) and at home to Barcelona (2-0) this term. Furthermore, Michael Laudrup’s men have made it to the Spanish Cup final for the second season in a row, and have acquitted themselves well in their debut European campaign. The men from suburban Madrid finished top of their UEFA Cup group ahead of Tottenham and Anderlecht, before breezing past AEK Athens and Benfica in the knock-out stages.

Tough but manageable

“It can’t be an accident and it tells you everything about their quality,” opined Hitzfeld. The Bayern stars are well aware of Getafe’s track record this term. “They’ll be the hardest opponents we’ve faced so far,” Bastian Schweinsteiger warned, a sentiment echoed by Franck Ribéry: “They’ll be very hard to beat.“

For all that, Bayern are brimming with confidence. “We’re at home and we’re favourites,” insisted Schweinsteiger. “It’s a tough but manageable task,” summarised Hitzfeld. FCB scouts have observed the Spaniards on four occasions, reporting a hard-running, technically able, disciplined, well-organised and aggressive team, “with a portion of belief and excitement,” Hitzfeld added. Chief scout Wolfgang Dremmler also noted Getafe’s strength at set-pieces and on the break.

Schweinsteiger for Altintop?

But Laudrup’s men are far from unbeatable. “They have a few problems in defence, and we should exploit that,” commented Hitzfeld, calling on his team to tackle early and attack down the flanks. “We have to find the right balance between attack and solid defence,” the coach said.

“We’re aiming to win while keeping a clean sheet,” offered Schweinsteiger, reckoning the men in red would need to be patient. “Getafe won’t necessarily come here looking to win,” he felt, “finding the gaps won’t be easy. It might be that nothing happens until after the 70th minute.“ Hitzfeld declined to say whether Schweinsteiger would definitely feature against the Spaniards, “although Bastian has a good chance of playing,” he revealed.

Van Bommel doubtful

Otherwise, José Ernesto Sosa could stand in for the injured Hamit Altintop in right midfield. Mark van Bommel missed final training with the flu and is a major doubt. “He’s not 100 percent better,” Hitzfeld reported, “and I don’t pick players who aren’t totally fit.“

Munich urgently require a good result at home ahead of next week’s return at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez in Getafe, a difficult place to visit, according to Ribéry’s Spain-based France team-mates. What would be a decent score at the Allianz Arena? “1-0 would be good, 2-0 or 3-0 would be perfect,“ Lucio declared.

Junghans and Theslof join Klinsmann team

Three months after the unveiling of Jürgen Klinsmann as Bayern head coach from next season, the former Germany captain’s backroom line-up is continuing to take shape. The 43-year-old, currently in Munich for a series of meetings, met fcbayern.de on Wednesday to introduce Walter Junghans and Nick Theslof, two further members of his coaching and support team.

Junghans, who has worked with the current coaching staff since the beginning of this season, will become head goalkeeping coach on 1 July this year. Just as he once did as a player, the 49-year-old takes over from Sepp Maier, who is retiring after a long and illustrious career. “Succeeding Sepp Maier is definitely not an easy job,” commented Junghans, “but I’m delighted with the decision to entrust the task to me.“

Junghans’ impressive track record

Klinsmann declared himself “totally delighted” at the prospect of working with Junghans. “Everyone at Bayern speaks very positively about him,” the future coach observed, revealing he had also taken soundings from “people who’ve known him for a number of years. I was convinced when I talked to him face-to-face as well, there’s chemistry there. He’s a likeable guy. He’s a retiring personality, but he knows exactly what he wants, and he’s eager to learn.“

Junghans said he was keen to maintain his own brand and philosophy of goalkeeping coaching, “although the year with Sepp Maier and Oliver Kahn has obviously taught me a great deal more on top, and I’ll make sure to incorporate it.” Before joining Bayern, Junghans was on the coaching staff with the likes of Benfica and Athletic Bilbao, another point in his favour. “He’s been around the international scene and had a number of jobs already. I’m very impressed,” Klinsmann remarked.

Theslof to work closely with Klinsmann

The second newly-announced member of staff is Nick Theslof, a 30-year-old American hired as an international scout to support chief scout Wolfgang Dremmler. “He’ll report directly to me, because I want us to have a very close working relationship,” Klinsmann explained, “when he’s not travelling, he’ll be based permanently at the Säbener Strasse, so we’re shoulder to shoulder.“

The former striker met Theslof at US amateur club Orange County Blue Star. After officially ending his career in 2003, and playing under the pseudonym Jay Goppingen, Klinsmann scored five goals in eight appearances for Blue Star, coached by Theslof at the time. “I was really impressed at the way he read and analysed a game, and how he treated the players as individuals,” Klinsmann recalled.

Keeping an eye out

The new Bayern coach previously brought in Theslof as a match observer on the Germany staff at the 2006 World Cup. “At the World Cup, he wrote me match summaries which were always totally accurate. He has a very, very sharp eye,” Klinsmann reported. At Bayern, Theslof will be responsible for observing future opponents at home and abroad.

A former PSV Eindhoven youth player, Theslof appeared in Major League Soccer for Columbus Crew until an Achilles injury brought his career to a premature end, after which he immediately took up coaching. He will be introduced to Bayern gradually over the course of the next few months, “to give him a feeling for the club and Wolfgang Dremmler’s section,” Klinsmann explained, “Nick will be a great help to us.“

’Assiduous’ planning

Theslof and Junghans bring the number of new faces hired for next season’s staff up to four, joining Mexican assistant coach Martin Vasquez and former Bayern star Christian Nerlinger, who will occupy the newly-created post of team manager. Further names would be announced in due course, Klinsmann remarked. “We’re working assiduously to get our organisational structures in place, so we’re in good shape for the new season by late June, early July – but the work’s all taking place in the background. We absolutely don’t want to get in Ottmar Hitzfeld’s way.“

Demichelis fired up for Getafe contest

Martin Demichelis attracted plenty of attention on Tuesday, largely due to the temporary disfigurement of his craggy features caused by a pronounced bump on his left forehead and black eye below it, the “enormous” consequences of a collision between the Argentina man and team-mate Gabriel Heinze in a friendly meeting with Egypt last week. “We both wanted to head clear, but we headed each other instead,” Micho ruefully explained.

Despite the shiner, the 27-year-old was in upbeat spirits at a news conference on Tuesday, as he has been cleared to play against Getafe in Thursday’s UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg. Demichelis was forced to sit out Bayern’s weekend league fixture, in stark contrast to Heinze. The Real Madrid defender played a full part in his side’s 3-1 victory over Sevilla, scoring the opener with his head. “It didn’t affect him at all. I hit him on the back of the head,” Demichelis revealed.

Wary of Getafe

Some 20 km south of Real’s Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is Getafe’s Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, the compact ground where Bayern are due to play the second leg next week. The match in Munich is the more pressing priority, and Demichelis declared himself far more concerned about that than his unsightly injury. “I rate Getafe as one of the best teams still in the competition,” the centre-half opined.

Micho has already watched TV coverage of the Spanish top flight outfit, and will join his FCB team-mates for a detailed video analysis of the club’s European opponents on Wednesday. Getafe lost 2-0 to Osasuna at the weekend, but Demichelis knows the Spaniards will be “totally motivated“ when they arrive in Bavaria. “They’re not just coming to Munich for a kick-about, they want to make the next round.“

Fired-up Demichelis

Bayern are the team under pressure on Thursday, Demichelis acknowledged: “Getafe have nothing to lose.“ The men in red know they will need “total aggression, full concentration and high motivation,“ the Argentine commented. “The best thing would be to score early. It won’t be easy, but we believe strongly in ourselves. We have to go out there and show what we can do.“

Demichelis has already taken one of Getafe’s stars to one side and informed him of Bayern’s iron resolve to win the UEFA Cup. Argentina number one Roberto Abbondanzieri also keeps goal for the Spanish club side. “I’ve spoken to my good friend,” Demichelis reported, also revealing the placing of a small wager between the pair. The Munich star will be even more determined to open his UEFA Cup scoring account this week – and it will not bother him in the slightest if the ball goes in off the prominent bump on his forehead.

Readying for run-in with fun in the sun

The obvious but erroneous conclusion from observing team training at the Säbener Strasse on Monday would have been that the Bayern stars were busily preparing for a couple of weeks on the beach. Instead of skills development or a practice match, Franck Ribéry and Co alternated between football tennis and basketball – visibly and audibly enjoying themselves in the process.

“We’ve pretty much played twice a week since the winter break, so a day like this does you good,” commented Philipp Lahm after the relatively gentle workout. The Germany international and his team-mates started the session in the weights room before moving out onto the sun-drenched practice ground.

Special regeneration programme

“It’s fun and I’m happy to be doing it,” said Ribéry, lingering on the field for another round of football tennis with Daniel van Buyten after the rest of the squad had retired to the dressing room. And who won the Franco-Belgian duel? “Me of course, as usual,” the France star grinned, looking forward to his ‘prize’, a lunch paid for by Van Buyten.

The Bayern camp is certainly in upbeat spirits despite a distinctly average display in Nürnberg on Saturday. Results elsewhere meant the Reds maintained a seven-point advantage at the top of the standings, and with five matches at home and only three away until the end of term, appear well placed for a 21st domestic crown. That persuaded Ottmar Hitzfeld to start the week with “active regeneration“, as assistant coach Michael Henke told fcbayern.de: “It was a special programme today.“

Ribéry wary of Getafe

Normal service will be resumed on Tuesday. “As of tomorrow, we’ll turn up the heat and start gearing the lads up for Thursday,” Henke explained. Spanish La Liga cracks Getafe visit the Allianz Arena in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals this week.

Ribery warned his team-mates not to underestimate Thursday’s opponents: “They must be good, or they wouldn’t still be in the competition.“ The 24-year-old revealed he had consulted Barcelona pair Lilian Thuram and Thierry Henry for advice regarding Getafe when the players met up on France duty last week, a conversation which is certain to have thrown up one or two interesting insights.

Podolski doubtful

“They told me Getafe are technically good and hard to play against, so it’s important we win at home, preferably without conceding a goal,” observed Ribéry, promising fireworks for the crowd: “We’ll go after them and get on the attack.“

Lukas Podolski, scorer of the 81st-minute equaliser in the 1-1 draw against Nürnberg, was unable to train on Monday with a swollen ankle and reported to the medical unit for treatment. “He’s doubtful. We’ll have to wait and see if he’s fit to train tomorrow, or at least take part in final training on Wednesday,” Henke explained.

Patience a virtue for Sagnol

Martin Demichelis missed the trip to Nürnberg with facial bruising, but trained on Monday despite still sporting a black eye. “He managed the whole session so it shouldn’t be a problem for him,” Henke remarked.

By contrast, Willy Sagnol will be sidelined for a few more days with the after-effects of a slipped disc. The Frenchman received a pain-killing injection from club medical chief Dr Müller-Wohlfahrt and is currently restricted to jogging. Sagnol is hoping to resume the team programme next week, and put in an extra afternoon shift on Monday.

Hoeneß: That’s what strikers are paid for

In numerical terms, Lukas Podolski went almost 750 Bundesliga minutes without a goal before Saturday’s trip to Nuremberg. In the world of the striker, 750 goalless minutes is not such a dramatic occurrence. However, a 384-day drought is the stuff of raised eyebrows.

Back on 11 March 2007, Podolski opened the scoring for Bayern in a 1-1 home draw with Werder Bremen, but more than a calendar year was to pass before he once again tasted the joy of a domestic league strike. “I’m always delighted when I score,” the 22-year-old declared in characteristically neutral tones following the weekend draw with 1. FC Nürnberg.

Podolski as super sub

Saturday’s goal was also Podolski’s first in the Bundesliga after coming on as a sub. As so often this term, the former Cologne man again started on the bench in Franconia. Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld initially sent out Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose, before replacing the luckless German with fellow-countryman Podolski at half-time.

Lukas insists he does not hold it against Hitzfeld personally, “but to be honest, I’m fed up with the Bayern subs’ bench,” the player told the Bild tabloid after netting for Germany in Switzerland last Wednesday – where he also came on as a sub. “But I’m not made to be a sub, my goal is to be a regular,” he said on Saturday.

Hitzfeld: Goal will help him

“I think it’s terrific Lukas scored today, but that’s what strikers are paid for. Everyone has to contribute to our success, and he made a fine contribution today,” offered general manager Uli Hoeneß, professing incomprehension at the media debate over the player: “I don’t understand the drama associated with him. Lukas became an important part of the team ages ago.“

“He’s on a par with the other strikers,” agreed Hitzfeld, who recently acknowledged that the fight for places in the team was a straight performance-based contest. “The goal will give him a real boost. He went out there and exploded today,“ the General observed.

Start against Getafe?

Poldi may well have done enough to earn a start in Thursday’s UEFA Cup meeting with Getafe. The Germany hitman has already notched up five goals in the competition so far. “I’ll train as well as I can, and then we’ll see who the coach picks,“ Podolski declared, neutral as ever.