Ahead of the second-leg of their Champions League quarter-final match-up against Manchester City, Bayern representatives have been giving their pre-match thoughts ahead of the big game. Belief and faith in a miracle comeback were the watch words.
Thomas Tuchel
“We can’t create a miracle just by talking. Obviously you address things differently. At 3-0, it’s about finding a realistic level. Our game on Saturday definitely didn’t help. We believe in ourselves and we believe we can win each half. If we win both halves, anything can happen.
“If you have some luck, which we didn’t have in the first leg. It’s about little things. It’s about finding that belief. At the same time, believing doesn’t mean dreaming. It’s our responsibility to pass on that spark, to get the fans with us. Then we’ll go one half at a time, one step at a time.
“We’re still in it. The draw always plays apart from the quarter-finals as well. Bayern always has the demand to reach the quarter-finals. Then it’s about form on the day, luck in games or injuries. It’s a real challenge to play against City, who have been in outstanding form for a number of weeks.
“It’s worth looking at the game individually. We had a lot of really good chances in Freiburg. We also had good chances against Hoffenheim. The assessment was different against City. We aren’t happy with that and are working on it. First of all, we’re lacking that ease and confidence. We’re thinking a bit too much. But things can move quickly.
“We need momentum and to have things go well in those small moments. I don’t think we had that in the 70 minutes at City. Ultimately, we were badly punished. It won’t work without that. The mix has to be right. It’s clear to us what we’re up against, that it’s extremely tough. We’ve tried to break it down into little steps. First, it comes down to the first half. I think the spectators will notice that and be ready to create energy that can be carried through the game. We’ve got time.
“We’re in a period of change. Big players have left the club. There’s now been a change of coach. We haven’t had much time. The club is not going through a demise. I have the feeling I’m working at a very strong club. Everything is possible with this club.”
Benjamin Pavard
“We are ready for the game. We know the first leg wasn’t good. Now we have our fans behind us and we will do everything we can to make it happen. We have seen in the past that such a comeback is possible. We have prepared well. The opponents aren’t easy, but with our fans behind us, a lot is possible. We will give everything and want to take our chances.
“We had difficult moments, we were knocked out in the cup. At City we played a good first half. We had good actions but didn’t score. Of course we want to win all kinds of titles and we would be disappointed if we were eliminated tomorrow. We will all do our best.”
