‘Bayern the only team that can stop Madrid’
German champs upbeat ahead of Champions League match-up with Spanish giants
Berlin – Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has thrown down the gauntlet to Real Madrid ahead of next Wednesday’s home Champions League semifinal, first leg.
“We have to keep our concentration until next Wednesday, but if anyone can beat Real Madrid at the moment, it’s FC Bayern,” boasted Rummenigge.
Bayern host the first leg at Munich’s Allianz Arena with the return at Madrid’s Bernabeu on May 1.
The German giants warmed up by romping to a 6-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday in the German Cup semi- final. “It was a demonstration of the footballing quality of our team,” added Rummenigge.
“To be an FC Bayern fan must be paradise at the moment.
“The team clearly has a tremendous quality for achieving everything it wants to.”
Bayern could repeat their 2013 treble. They are in the German Cup final on May 19 and have already secured a sixth straight Bundesliga title. The Bavarian giants ran riot in Leverkusen as Germany forward Thomas Müller scored twice and helped set up the opening goal in a man-ofthe-match performance.
Star striker Robert Lewandowski was credited with two more goals to add to his 38 in 42 matches this season for Bayern. Having led 2-1 at the break, Bayern turned on the style in the second-half. Arjen Robben, Thiago Alcantara and Müller, twice, hit four goals in a devastating 26-minute spell.
Leverkusen are third in the Bundesliga, but trail Bayern by a massive 24 points and the gulf in class showed.
“It was a football demonstration for a long period,” beamed Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes.
“We put in a top performance against a good opponent.
“We were incredibly motivated and focused.”
Real Madrid knocked Bayern out of the Champions League last season at the quarterfinal stage.