Barcelona must hit Bayern psychologically to pull off comeback, says Pique

The defender insists his side believe “100 per cent” they can recover from their 4-0 first-leg deficit to the Bavarians and has urged them to give Camp Nou something to cheer

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has revealed his team-mates remain confident they can pull off a miraculous comeback against Bayern Munich, insisting they represent a club that never gives up.

A 4-0 thrashing at the Allianz Arena last week leaves the Blaugrana with a mountain to climb if they are to reach the Champions League final this season, but Pique – who played in the side which beat the Bavarians 4-0 at Camp Nou in 2009 – says his team-mates are fully confident in their chances.

“The team is fine, and very confident that we will do all we can to stay alive for the whole match,” he told a press conference on Tuesday. “We need to not concede goals, score at least one and fight until the end. We represent a club that does not consider giving up, a club that has won a lot and has a long history. We represent Barcelona and we will want to give a good image.

“I remember when I was seven and we lost 4-0 against AC Milan [in the final] and I remember how my father was when we lost. Tomorrow we can be childlike in the sense that we can believe and we can dream, but it is going to be very hard.

“We won 4-0 in 2009 but they are a different team, a lot better team, with a different coach and different players. It is very different. They are much better than that team.

“We have to open up the pitch, have the ball and play fast football. In recent years we have proved we can beat anyone in any situation. We need the fans to back us and try to feel we are not knocked out of the Champions League yet. We have to try to find all the right circumstances to win the match. If everything goes in our favour, we can do it.

“We believe we will turn this around 100 per cent. We need to score a goal as soon as possible to get more and more confident. After a 4-0 result you do doubt yourself, but as days go on, you suddenly believe you can do this. Football is very psychological.

“Tomorrow we have 90 minutes to hit Bayern psychologically with the help of the fans. They could also score a goal and then to score six goals is a lot tougher. But we believe.”

Pique added his delight at the prospect of a fully-fit Lionel Messi taking to the pitch on Wednesday after his lacklustre display in the first leg.

“We know what [Lionel] Messi means. He is the best in the world and to have him in the team is the best news. We need everyone, especially Messi. I do not want us to commit mistakes because we have enough work as it is to play a good match and be better than the opponent.

“We do not have anything to prove because we have done it time and time again. If tomorrow we have enough desire to win, it is because we want to prove we can do it and for the fans. We want to do it for them. The fans are grateful to this team and they deserve for us to play a good match tomorrow.”

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