Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and President Uli Hoeness are pleased with their club’s performance against Liverpool at Anfield.
Bayern Munich delivered a gritty performance against Liverpool at Anfield yesterday. The Bavarians were tipped to concede a few goals against Liverpool’s ruthless front three before the match, but they fought brilliantly to earn a clean sheet. Die Roten were well organized at the back, and Niko Kovac got his team selection spot on.
There have been mixed reactions to this game, as the fixture still hangs in the balance ahead of next month’s second leg game at the Allianz Arena. Speaking to Florian Plettenberg of Sport1, Uli Hoeness praised the Bayern players for delivering a good performance in a difficult stadium. The club president also hailed Niko Kovac for his tactical approach to the game, insisting there are no doubts over the Croatian’s position at the club.
"“We are very happy with the result. Especially with the way the team played and presented itself, disciplined. It was a lot of fun.“Our coach did well yesterday and he wants to make the right decisions in three weeks time. The coach is doing a good job. I have been finding the arguments ridiculous for a long time We’ve won 14 from the last 16 games.”"
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Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, meanwhile, added a warning along with his praise for the players. In an interview with Bild, he admitted that the players played well but suggested they could have done even better by scoring an important away goal.
Rummenigge further added that Bayern should try to score more than one goal in the return leg to seal their place in the next round. The tie is perfectly poised and the current situation is favorable for both teams.
Bayern Munich will back themselves to be more dominant at the Allianz Arena. They kept possession well at Anfield, but their passing was pretty conservative. They’re likely to be more aggressive at home, but they must be sure to balance their aggression with the right amount of caution.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will have Virgil van Dijk back in the starting lineup for the game in Munich. The Dutchman has become a talisman in defense for the Merseyside club. His return will make them defensively stronger and more threatening in transition. Liverpool’s away record in Europe this season has been poor, but they have the habit of delivering against big teams.
Bayern suffered a massive blow for the second leg when Joshua Kimmich was given a yellow card in the first half of Tuesday’s game and will be suspended for the second leg. Kimmich is an important player for Bayern at both ends of the pitch, and Niko Kovac will have to come up with something special to compensate for this loss. This clash still hangs in the balance, but the signs are promising for Bayern after delivering a solid performance at Anfield.