The Bavarians coach has urged his players to replicate their performance from the 4-0 thrashing in Munich and believes last season’s defeat to Chelsea has made the team stronger
Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes has called on his team to prove that their Champions League semi-final first-leg thrashing of Barcelona was not a one-off feat.
The Bundesliga champions humbled Tito Vilanova’s charges with a dominant display at the Allianz Arena last week, but their coach has urged them to replicate the level they reached in the 4-0 triumph in the second leg at Camp Nou on Wednesday.
“We can’t think too much about the first-leg result,” he told a press conference. “After the match we can evaluate things, but I cannot say which team is the better one. Barcelona have played at such a high level for so many years. Bayern want to prove that the match in Munich wasn’t a one-off.
“We have to take into account the rival. We have our philosophy on football and this season we have proved that Bayern are a great team playing top quality football. We have our culture and we are capable of scoring goals tomorrow at Camp Nou.”
Bayern are in the driving seat to reach their third Champions League final in four seasons and Heynckes believes that the disappointment of last season’s defeat to Chelsea on home soil has strengthened the resolve of his squad this season.
“When you experience a final like we did against Chelsea, then you understand all the consequences,” he explained. “Some clubs give up, but everyone at Bayern reacted in a very positive way. We made changes, signed good players, modified some things and strengthened the team spirit.”
Heynckes has been linked with a return to Spain when he departs the Allianz Arena at the end of the season, with former clubs Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao believed to be interested in his services, and the 67-year-old suggested he would be happy to go back to coaching in La Liga.
“When you coach big teams in Spain, you also incorporate that culture to understand everything better,” he said. “I know I can return to Spain whenever I want.
“I won the Champions League with Real Madrid and I also had great achievements with Athletic. In Barcelona, there’s exists a huge sporting culture, especially after the Olympics. It’s a wonderful city with a huge amount of culture, so I love being here.”