No team has ever over-turned a three-goal deficit in a European semifinal
Barcelona romped to a 3-0 result in the first leg.(Photo: AFP)
Munich: Pep Guardiola has promised embattled Bayern Munich will put up a fight in Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal, second-leg, in their near-impossible bid to deny Barcelona an eighth final appearance. Bayern are chasing a miracle at the Allianz Arena after their humbling 3-0 first-leg defeat at the Camp Nou last Wednesday when Lionel Messi capped a dazzling display with two goals.
No team has ever over-turned a three-goal deficit in a European semifinal. “We all know it’s going to be a mammoth task, but we’re not going to give up,” said Bayern forward Thomas Mueller. But their confidence has been dented by losing their last four games since winning the German league for the 25th time a fortnight ago and the losing streak is their longest since 1991.
In Saturday’s latest defeat, Bayern crashed 1-0 at home to neighbours Augsburg and had to play 77 minutes with 10-men after reserve goalkeeper Pepe Reina was sent off. Having also lost 0-2 at Leverkusen the previous week before their drubbing in Barcelona, it is the first time Bayern have failed to score in three consecutive games for 15 years.
In contrast, Barca are in fine form having scored 19 goals in their last four games. They are poised to win the Spanish league title after beating David Moyes’ Real Sociedad 2-0 on Saturday which left them four points ahead of rivals Real Madrid.
Brazil star Neymar has now scored in each of his last six matches to take his tally for the season to 35, while Barca have now not conceded for seven games.
But Barca coach Luis Enrique refuses to believe Bayern will bow out of Europe without a fight. “I saw it (the defeat against Augsburg). They lost, but they played 70 minutes with 10 men. We will suffer a lot in Munich,” said the Barca boss. “They are unique opponents, who know what it is like to turn around important matches already this season. We will never think that it is done, nor even that it looks very good for us. We need to defend as far away from our goal as possible.”
One ray of hope, as Manuel Neuer put it, is how they emphatically turned their 1-3 deficit to Porto into a 6-1 rout in Munich.
( Source : AFP )
Next Story
