Lothar Matthäus believes that Bayern will progress. The first leg against Arsenal convinced him. FCB can no longer allow itself to fluctuate.
Munich – Everything is open after the first leg: FC Bayern has a good chance of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League. After the 2-2 draw against Arsenal, the Munich team await the “Gunners” in the second leg at their home Allianz Arena. For Lothar Matthäus it is clear: If Bayern perform again in the premier class like they did in the first leg at Arsenal, it can also be enough for the final.
Matthäus believes FCB can reach the Champions League final – under one condition
If the German record champions defeat the “Gunners”, the winner of the duel between Real Madrid and Manchester City awaits in the semi-finals – either way, a tough challenge on the way to Wembley. But Lothar Matthäus believes FC Bayern can reach the Champions League final against both opponents – under one condition.
Matthäus demanded in an interview with RTL/ntv
and
sport.de
that coach Thomas Tuchel's team must continue to appear as united as in the quarter-final first leg
- and not just on the international stage. Rather, the team must use the remaining Bundesliga games despite having already lost the championship to “shape the solidarity that was now there in London”. If this succeeds, Matthäus is convinced that FC Bayern “has a chance of making it to the final at Wembley.”
“You can’t always pull the lever”: Matthäus warns Bayern about the CL final spurt
This was already achieved for a long time last weekend in the lackluster 2-0 win against 1. FC Köln. Thomas Tuchel spared two central players, Manuel Neuer and Leroy Sané, but the first eleven delivered a coherent performance against “Effzeh” and fought for the three points.
Performances like these are crucial for Matthäus in the remaining weeks if he is to have a chance of reaching the Champions League final. “You can’t always turn the lever, like now from Heidenheim to Arsenal London or after the elimination in Saarbrücken, where you then won 4-0 in Dortmund,” warned the 61-year-old, who wore the Bayern jersey for a total of twelve years . The record champions can no longer afford such fluctuations.
Despite the “easy” remaining program: FCB must remain in CL mode in the Bundesliga
That means: Even against supposedly weaker opponents in the Bundesliga, Bayern have to throw everything into the balance and stay in premier class mode. After all, Manchester City and Real Madrid are currently in top form - this was underlined by the spectacular quarter-final first leg between the two teams.
Apart from a duel with VfB Stuttgart on May 4th, Munich's remaining Bundesliga program of five games is relatively easy to read. But Union Berlin (duel on April 20th) and VfL Wolfsburg (May 12th) are deep in the relegation battle, while Eintracht Frankfurt (April 27th) and TSG Hoffenheim (May 18th) are vying for qualification for the European Cup. There is still a lot at stake for all of Bayern's opponents in the Bundesliga - reason enough to approach the games like Champions League games.
Arsenal, on the other hand, is apparently not in premier class mode at the moment. Before the second leg, Bayern's opponents suffered a bitter setback against Aston Villa.
(wuc)