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. 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.
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, 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.
