UEFA Champions League – Match Preview: Bayern Munich versus Roma
After an incredibly successful 2009-2010 season, where Bayern Munich reached the Champions League final in surprising fashion, the German giants begin their new European campaign as they welcome the runners up of the Serie A 2009-2010 season in the shape of Roma.
Last season was indeed a historic one for Bayern, a club which has established European pedigree defeated Fiorentina in the round of sixteen and then Manchester United in the quarter finals to book themselves a semi-final place against the French champion’s ex-French champions Lyon.
After bulldozing and making light work of the French in the semis, Bayern Munich met Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan in the final match of the tournament.
Luck ran out on the Germans in the final as they ended up on the losing side of the encounter by a deficit of two goals to nil. It was a refreshing journey for the Bavarian giants as they proved to everybody last season that their history in the competition is backed up by up by their present strength.
Defeat at Santiago Bernabeau was indeed a painful one for the German champions, who won the Bundesliga and the VFB Cup last season to complete a double under Louis Van Gaal.
Bayern Munich are no strangers to Italian opposition, in last year’s Champions League they had Juventus in their group. Van Gaal’s men defeated the Bianconeri in Turin by a score line of four goals to nil and drew with them in the home leg at the Allianz Arena.
It was a memorable victory over the former Italian and European champions, who have faded away in recent years from their glory days. Roma who are Bayern’s competitors tonight, are also based in Italy and therefore will be looking to set the record straight against the dominant Germans.
Bayern’s coach Van Gaal is obviously geared up and ready to go for another European adventure but it won’t be easy this season as other teams have improved while Bayern still retain the same squad. Bayern Munich are in a group which includes the likes of Roma, Basel and Cluj, all respected European outfits which do not deserve to be underestimated under any circumstance.
Regardless, Bayern Munich will be expected to reach the round of sixteen with relative ease by at least drawing their away games and winning all their home ties in the group stages of the 2010-2011 UEFA Champions League.
Roma, the Serie A runners up in the 2009-2010 season have problems of their own before the match against Bayern in Germany. They are already without a handful of first team players as Mirko Vucinic, Okaka, Mexes, Riise and Castellini are all out of contention for the former Italian champions due to different injuries.
Just after the weekend ended, Rodrigo Taddei was also declared unfit for the match against Bayern Munich and thus Roma are without six of their first team players for their opening match of the UEFA Champions League.
Claudio Ranieri, who is Roma’s current manager, will have the services of Adriano and his captain Francesco Totti available to him when his team travels to Germany, despite the media reports that suggest otherwise. The match will take place at Allianz Arena, which in itself is an intimidating amphitheatre for European Cup matches.
Ranieri will be well aware of his rival’s weaknesses and will look to test the Munich defence which was rather suspect last season. A draw against Bayern will be considered as a success as Roma will fancy themselves to win against Cluj and Basel in their next two UEFA Champions’ League group stage games.
Bayern Munich have some injury problems of their own as their star winger Robben is a long term injury concern while Franck Ribery is suspended for the tie against Roma. Van Gaal will definitely have to make a decision regarding his strikers for the match as there is healthy competition between Klose, Olic and Gomez for the German champions.
The match is likely to end with a Bayern win when one takes into account the amount of first team players that will be absent for Roma, nonetheless it is expected that the Italians will characteristically be strong opponents on the night for the Munich team.
Tags: