Bayern Munich boss Flick insists defending champs aren’t looking at tonight’s quarter-final first leg v PSG as a rematch of last year’s final against the same opponents as both teams have changed
Bayern’s Leon Goretzka (left) and Thomas Mueller celebrate a goal against RB Leipzig during their Bundesliga tie on Saturday. Pic/AFP
Holders Bayern Munich, who already have top-scorer Robert Lewandowski sidelined, could also be without winger Serge Gnabry when they face PSG in Wednesday’s repeat of the 2020 Champions League final.
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“Serge has a sore throat and will probably be out as well,” Bayern coach Hansi Flick said on Tuesday, ahead of the quarter-final first leg at home.
More misery for Germans
Gnabry’s illness could leave Bayern without two key forwards against PSG. Lewandowski misses both legs with a knee injury after scoring 42 goals for Bayern this season including five in the Champions League. Flick said midfielder Marc Roca will also miss the first leg at the Allianz Arena after picking up an injury on Sunday in training.
Bayern boss Hansi Flick
Should Gnabry drop out, his Germany teammate Leroy Sane will play on the flanks along with Kingsley Coman, whose header last August sealed a 1-0 win over PSG in the 2020 Champions League final. While the French giants may be motivated to avenge that defeat in Lisbon, Flick played down the element of a rematch with Mauricio Pochettino having since replaced Thomas Tuchel as PSG’s head coach.
“For Paris maybe, but not for us. It’s a new game, a new team and Paris has a new coach,” Flick said succinctly. Nevertheless there is plenty of respect from the Bayern camp for PSG, whose line-up boasts the talent of Brazil superstar Neymar and France forward Kylian Mbappe.
Everyone knows “what attacking power they have, with players like Neymar or Mbappe who can decide a game at any time,” said Bayern board member and former club captain Oliver Kahn. “They are an absolute top opponent.”
PSG are missing defender Alessandro Florenzi and midfielder Marco Verratti, who are quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19. PSG had Neymar sent off in Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Lille, who usurped them as French league leaders. The Parisian giants have already lost eight times in the French league in 2020-21, the most during a single season for 10 years.
Pochettino optimistic
Nevertheless, Pochettino is relishing the chance to end Bayern’s unbeaten run of 19 Champions League games dating back to March 2019. “We’re playing against the best team on the continent at the moment. But we are optimistic. We have already knocked out Barcelona,” he said, in reference to PSG beating the Spanish giants in the Last 16.
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