Bayern Munich may have disadvantage over Champions League rivals
David Alaba speaks about disadvantage Bayern Munich have over European rivals.
Bayern Munich will resume their European dream against Chelsea in a fortnight at Allianz Arena. The second leg of the round of 16 was postponed due to coronavirus pandemic. The German champions currently have a 3-0 lead from the first leg win at Stamford Bridge in February.
Die Roten has already completed the domestic double after enjoying a successful second half of the season under Hansi Flick. The German manager got the reins of the first team after Niko Kovac parted ways with the club in November.
Rekordmeister last lifted the prestigious European trophy in 2013. Since then, it has been a frustrating competition for the German club as they have faltered at semi-finals on most occasions. They are going into the latter stages of this campaign as favourites due to their form throughout the year.
Despite the form of Die Roten, David Alaba is concerned about the lack of rhythm due to a long break after the domestic campaign in Germany ended at the start of July. Speaking to Kicker (via Bulinews), Alaba admitted that other clubs in the competition would be better equipped for the knockout rounds. However, the Austrian defender insisted that the team is confident about doing well in the Champions League.
"“Whether our break will be an advantage or a disadvantage can only be assessed afterwards. The other leagues are in rhythm. Maybe that is more of a disadvantage for us, but we’re not looking for excuses. We are confident. We know who we are, and we want to show that on the pitch.”“If you look at our form in the second half of the season, our odds aren’t bad. But we still have a long way to go. We must prepare and focus on this tournament.”"
More from Bayern Strikes
- Bayern Munich: Tactical takeaways from 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayern Munich: Kingsley Coman set to be fit for Manchester United clash
- Bayern Munich unlikely to move for Trevoh Chalobah in January
- Bayern Munich: Key lessons from draw against Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayern Munich remains keen on hiring Max Eberl
Flick has shown that he can come up with a solid tactical plan against big clubs to get a big result in Europe. The performance at Stamford Bridge sent a statement in Europe that Die Roten is well equipped to beat any team on their day. They dominated the London side and showed ruthlessness to finish off the game rather than play it safe after getting a two-goal lead.
The tie is not over, and stranger things have happened in this competition. However, Chelsea will need something special to keep Die Roten quiet at Allianz Arena. Frank Lampard‘s side has lately struggled defensively, conceding goals in almost every game. Moreover, Rekordmeister has built a fortress at Allianz Arena this season.
After getting past Chelsea, the road to final is going to be tougher for the German Champions. However, one-legged ties can go either way, so Die Roten will have to be smart with their approach in these games since there are no second legs to recover.
Next. Bayern Munich wants challenging loan move for Fruchtl. dark
Alaba has made a strong case for other teams being in rhythm, but Die Roten will also have very less fatigue in the team. Moreover, Flick will have a full squad to his disposal since all injured players have recovered completely during this break. It is going to be exciting few weeks ahead for Die Roten as they have a chance to win the elite trophy and complete another treble.