Bayern confident despite injury concerns
MUNICH: Bayern Munich have mounting injury problems but they are convinced they can finish the job against AC Milan today and book a place in the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2001.
Bayern centre-back Daniel van Buyten struck an injury-time equaliser, his second goal of the night, to clinch a 2-2 draw in the quarterfinal, first leg in Milan last week. That result gives the Germans a slight edge heading into the return.
Martin Demichelis is struggling with a pulled calf muscle, Bastian Schweinsteiger strained his left knee at the weekend and Owen Hargreaves, Lucio and Hasan Salihamidzic are also trying to shake off injuries.
Willy Sagnol is definitely out after suffering a serious knee injury in the first leg but the news is not all bad.
Midfielder Mark van Bommel and captain and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn are both available again after suspension and Bayern come into the game after a 2-1 win away to Hanover 96 that kept them in the Bundesliga title hunt.
Bayern were beaten by Milan 5-2 on aggregate in the first knockout round last season but with Ottmar Hitzfeld now back in charge they look a lot more resilient.
"I'm optimistic," said Hitzfeld, who led Bayern into the semifinals and on to win the European Cup for the fourth time during his first spell as coach in 2001.
"Beating Hanover was good news for Wednesday. We have a chance as long as we're on top form."
Milan's morale was lifted on Saturday when they beat Empoli 3-1 to close to within a point of Serie A's fourth and final Champions League berth.
"This team is starting to give its best and the result of tonight's match puts us in the best condition to prepare for Wednesday," said team coach Carlo Ancelotti.
"I am very realistic and I think we can do it. I know Milan and Bayern, and I know how we can create problems for our adversaries.
"Our objective will be to play like we did at home. If we do that, we'll have a good chance of progressing."
The outward confidence, however, masks anxieties over the state of their attack.
Alberto Gilardino's suspension means Ancelotti is expected to start Filippo Inzaghi as a lone striker, though the 33-year-old has been struggling to shake off a hamstring injury.
Milan's away form in Europe this season has also been far from impressive, with their sole win against Anderlecht being offset by scoreless draws against Lille and Celtic, and a 1-0 defeat to AEK Athens.
Liverpool safe
Meanwhile, Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez is using his team's remarkable comeback in the 2005 Champions League final to keep them focused for their straightforward quarterfinal second leg against PSV Eindhoven.
Liverpool seem certain to progress to a semifinal meeting with either Chelsea or Valencia after crushing their Dutch rivals 3-0 in the away leg but Benitez says that the miracle of Istanbul, when Liverpool came from 3-0 down to eventually beat AC Milan penalties, will ensure there is no complacency.
"These kind of games are difficult. Sometimes teams say 'OK, the job is done' but we have to be careful," Benitez said ahead of the Anfield return.
"We know there have been comebacks from 3-0 down in the Champions League - we did it in Istanbul. We know if they score an early goal they will push forward and we could have problems so we have to approach the game the same as we did against Barcelona and try to win."
In that knockout round tie Liverpool led 2-1 from the away leg and although they eventually lost the Anfield return 1-0 to go through on the away goals rule they played positively all night and never allowed Barcelona to feel that they were on top.
And for all Benitez's warnings, history says that PSV have no chance. In more than half a century of European soccer 114 teams have lost a home first leg 3-0 and none of them have advanced.
Agencies
(China Daily 04/11/2007 page24)
