Chronicle EditorMUNICH. – Coach Pep Guardiola says holders Bayern Munich need France winger Franck Ribery to be in “angry” mode for tonight’s Champions League soccer semi-final, second-leg at home to Real Madrid.The match kicks-off at 8:45pm.
Ribery (31), who missed out on the Ballon d’Or earlier this year, has produced a string of below-par performances since Bayern were confirmed Bundesliga champions at the end of March with a record seven league games to spare. The Frenchman put in an improved display when he netted in Bayern’s 5-2 league win at home to Werder Bremen in
Saturday’s dress rehearsal for the semi-final, with Real holding a slender 1-0 lead from last Wednesday’s first leg in Madrid.
But Guardiola said he needs Ribery, who joined Munich from Marseille in 2007, at his aggressive best to help Bayern’s bid to reach a fourth Champions League final in five years.
“Franck Ribery is very important for us,” said Guardiola, who is in his first season in charge of Bayern. He has been at Bayern longer than me and I am happy, of course, if he plays with energy and motivation.
“He sometimes needs an angriness and I am sure he will play very well tomorrow. He has this fighting spirit. He always wants to fight for the team, that’s why the people love him.
“He is one of the most fantastic players in the history of Bayern.”
Bayern failed to get a crucial away goal in Madrid, despite dominating the stats with 72 percent possession and firing in 18 shots on goal compared to Real’s nine, and Guardiola says his side must be more effective.
“I love being in possession of the ball, it was the way I was trained to play the game,” said Guardiola. “We want the ball to create chances and I want us to be just as dominant as we were in Madrid, but more effective and aggressive, we must find the right balance.”
Meanwhile, Arjen Robben says Real Madrid can expect to feel the heat at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena tonight allowing the holders to make home advantage count in the Champions League semi-final, second-leg.
Madrid arrived in the Bavarian capital holding a slender 1-0 lead from the first-leg after Karim Benzema’s winner in Madrid last Wednesday.
Real have never won in Munich after eight defeats and a draw, but Bayern must score at least twice to progress.
Madrid also have a terrible overall record in Germany with just two wins, 19 defeats and six draws, but Real eliminated Bundesliga sides Schalke and Borussia Dortmund en route to the semi-finals. With Bayern bidding to reach their fourth Champions League final in five years, the visitors can expect a warm welcome from the home fans in the cauldron of the 70 000-capacity Allianz Arena. Robben, who spent two seasons at Real before moving to Munich in 2009, says Madrid will be under no illusions about what to expect in Bavaria.
“It is clear they will have lots of confidence because of the result in Madrid but they know it won’t be easy here,” said Robben. “We won’t be giving anything away tomorrow (tonight). Of course they won’t be worried, but they also know it won’t be easy.
“The Arena in Munich will be on fire. We will give everything. We need our fans and the support.
“All 11 players on the pitch and seven on the bench will give everything and we have lots of confidence.”
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has turned up the heat for the Munich match by suggesting away “teams think they are in hell” at the Allianz Arena.
But Real coach Carlo Ancelotti retorted: “We hope the trees will burn on Wednesday, not Tuesday, when we leave” after his side’s impressive 4-0 Spanish league win at home to Osasuna on Saturday. Real’s Gareth Bale started on the bench in the first leg, but with the Welshman having recovered from flu, Ancelotti is expected to play his lethal BBC in attack – Bale, Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, who proved his hamstring injury is behind him with two goals against Osasuna.
“It won’t be any easier for us if Ronaldo and Bale are playing from the beginning,” added Robben. “We were all surprised about their defensive play in Madrid.
“We have to focus on playing offensively and scoring goals but we also have to take care of their counter-attacks.”
Having failed to progress from the semi-finals for the last three years, Real are desperate to reach the final in Lisbon on May 24, while Bayern are bidding to become the first team to retain the Champions League title.
“We are all motivated enough,” said Robben. – AFP.
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