Eurosport - Mon, 13 Apr 13:06:00 2009
Barcelona take a 4-0 advantage to Munich but are wary of Bayern's wounded pride when they face the Germans on Tuesday in their Champions League quarter-final return leg.
Barca coach Pep Guardiola warned their high scoring victory in Spain last week could bring the best out of the German champions, who have called the defeat a debacle and said they have no real chance of qualifying.
"Bayern are capable of scoring four goals, all the more so when they are wounded," Guardiola said.
"I don't believe the statements about them already having given the tie up for lost," he said.
"I am sure they will put in a good performance and we have to go there with a lot of ambition to win the match. If we are speculative they will roll over us."
Guardiola left key players, including midfielder Xavi, La Liga top scorer Samuel Eto'o and captain Carles Puyol, out of his starting line-up for Saturday's comfortable 2-0 home win over struggling Recreativo Huelva.
The former Barca and Spain midfielder will have to watch the match from the stands after being dismissed from the bench in the first leg and seeing his appeal with UEFA rejected.
"I'll be in the stands but it does not matter, it is something completely secondary," he said.
Barca central defender Rafael Marquez is suspended after picking up a yellow card at the Nou Camp.
Bayern, who had not lost in the Champions League this season before last week's defeat, have said the team has an obligation to restore the club's pride.
Boosted by their 4-0 crushing of Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, the Germans are looking to bow out with their heads held high.
"With this win (against Frankfurt) we repaired part of the damage but not all of it. We have a lot to do on Tuesday so that we can say goodbye to the competition in a good way," coach Juergen Klinsmann said.
Klinsmann is again expected to field 34-year-old keeper Hans Joerg Butt, ahead of Michael Rensing, who had been his first choice throughout the season until last week.
"Unfortunately I have to hurt Michael and put his development on the backburner so we can get the results we need to get," the coach, in his first season at Bayern, said.
Klinsmann, under fire for his team's erratic performances throughout the season, will have a largely fit squad with only central defender Daniel van Buyten in doubt.
Defenders Lucio and Philipp Lahm, who both missed the first leg through injury, should be fit to play.
Probable teams:
Bayern Munich: 22-Hans Joerg Butt; 23-Massimo Oddo, 6-Martin Demichelis, 3-Lucio, 21-Philipp Lahm; 8-Hamit Altintop, 31-Bastian Schweinsteiger, 17-Mark van Bommel, 15-Ze Roberto, 7-Franck Ribery; 9-Luca Toni.
Barcelona: 1-Victor Valdes; 20-Daniel Alves, 3-Gerard Pique, 5-Carles Puyol, 16-Silvinho; 6-Xavi, 24-Yaya Toure, 8-Andres Iniesta; 10-Lionel Messi, 9-Samuel Eto'o, 14-Thierry Henry.
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Comment 1 - 10 of 10
I'm sorry but the REALity says whenever barca plays the second leg away in all comptition they go out there is also other REALity that whenever barca plays athletic in final they lose. the last thing is whenever R MADRID win barca feel v large pressur and lose points as usuall R M win la liga and barca NOTHING
i think that there is no need to worry...in fact it would be wise to rest 2 or 3 key players for nex weekend fixture against getafe who managed to beat sevilla at home and draw levels with elbarca in the 1st leg
i have to admit barca dont have the greatest defensive record in the world but i htink it'll be another clean sheet for vicky valdez on the nite. barca shud buy a replacement for him in the summer, they've trusted him 4 2 long now and he keeps lettin them down
Surprisingly the Germans were too slow (this was the main characteristic) for the fast moving Barcelona players. With the exception of a few stars (some of them missing), the others have nothing to do on this stage of competition. Shame!!!!
Simon from the desert
I remaimber that in 2004 milan won 4 1 to deportivo and lost 4 0 and were nocked out and don't forget germans never give up and when i listen to some of their players they are trying to make barca players relax to eat them while they are sleeping
Barca is them off d soil and given dem a rebath.They shall be called lu sirs!!
i would say: this bayern team with klinsmann in charge is a haux. it is not german in spirit, it is a fake team of unprofessional disloyal and arrogant players led by an incompetent coach. Gunther Netzer pinned him to the wall with his report on Bayern yesterday. No chance for Bayern, from a loyal bayern fan who hardly recognizes the team his family has supported in germany for 50yrs +. Klinsmann has ruined bayern. I hope barcelona give us another thrashing for Munich to wake up and smell the odor of Klinsmann. Enough lies, enough disloyalty, let ribery, van bommel and any other whinners and drama queens go. Never sign disloyal players again.
if barca field their best line up they will qualify for sure. we only need a goal!
No One's writting the Germans Off.. Barca only aim to WIPE them Off the surface of the Planet.. Watch and see.. more goals to come.. Eto'o Messi and Henry on the pitch - Guarantee at least 1 goal. Which means The germans have to score at least 6 goals.. IMPOSSIBLE
i say don't write the germans off,they always do the unthinkable :D CFC 4 ever!
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