Bayern Munich versus Manchester United: Team News, Quotes, Form and Prediction
Quotes, Team News, Form and Predictions ahead of the Champions League clash between Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
Quotes:
What the Managers are saying:
Pep Guardiola on suspension and injuries: “We only have 14 first-team players so I haven’t got too many options. We’re playing at home. That’s an important factor (but) it’s never easy against English teams. I think they’ll sit very deep.”
David Moyes on when a decision will be made on Wayne Rooney availability for the clash: “I think probably eight o’clock on Wednesday night. That will be the timescale because he is a massive player for us and we’ll try and get him back.”
Guardiola’s response: “He is going to play – 100%. I bet you a big glass of beer he is going to play,”
What the Players are saying:
Bayern Munich defender Dante on Wayne Rooney: “I played against him for Brazil. He’s a world-class striker. “He reads the game well, he’s lightning fast over the first few yards and he has a brilliant shot. “We’ll have to be on our toes at the back – even if he’s not in the side. Manchester United have a lot of quality players.”
Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea “We have a chance over there. The tie is in the balance, its wide open and we’ll fight until the end. “Our team has big hopes of going there and getting the victory. “This is a big club and at difficult moments that is when you stand up and show people how big you are. “People thought it was going to be easy for Bayern but we produced a big performance.”
Team News:
Bayern Munich will be without the suspended Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez while Thiago Alcantara and Xherdan Shaqiri are injured.
Manchester United meanwhile will have Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young, Patrice Evra and Jonny Evans all available after injury.
Form: Since claiming the Bundesliga title with a 3-1 win over Hertha Berlin, Bayern Munich have drawn 3-3 with Hoffenheim, letting slip a 3-1 lead, shared the spoils with Manchester United and lost their first Bundesliga game of the season to Augsburg. However the club are 20 points clear in their domestic league and boast a formidable home record with their only defeats in the last 18 months coming against Bayer Leverkusen (October 2012), Arsenal (UCL March 2013, but they have won the first leg 2-0) and Manchester City (3-2 when they had already qualified from the group).
Manchester United have two and drawn one of their last three games and have lost just one of their last five. A four nil win over Newcastle United last time out was the second league game in succession where United had scored four goals. United have a poor record away in the Champions league this season winning just one of their away games in the group stages, drawing with Shakhtar and Sociedad and beating Bayer Leverkusen. David Moyes men then lost to Olympiakos in the last round.
Prediction: Given that Bayern Munich appear to have taken their foot of the pedal United won’t have a better chance of building on their recent good form and sealing a surprise semi-final spot however to do that Moyes will need Wayne Rooney fit and his tactics right. The smart money says Munich’s class will shine through and given the players at their disposal taking into account those missing and it would appear Bayern will have too much for their visitors
