Manchester United vs Bayern München UEFA Champions League
Date : Apr. 7, 2010
Time : 2:45pm
mCompetition: UEFA Champions League
Broadcast : Live
Manchester United vs Bayern
The UEFA Champions League Quarter Finals resume with second leg ties this week. Bayern Munich, 2-1 winners in the first leg, will visit Old Trafford to take on Manchester United. But United have that potentially vital away goal and they’ll be looking to snatch a goal against the Germans and then close up shop and head for the next round.
Bayern Munich distinguished themselves in the first leg of their Champions League Quarter Final tie against Manchester United in Munich a week ago with a never-say-die attitude that produced a well-deserved come-from-behind victory.
United had drawn first blood in the match when Wayne Rooney converted Nani’s free kick with less than two-minutes played to give United a 0-1 lead.
Comparisons with the 1999 Champions League Final between the same two clubs were unavoidable, especially after Bayern’s Franck Ribery equalized off a deflected free kick in the 76th minute.
By that time, however, United had long since ceased to show any spark or creativity while Bayern had been growing in confidence almost exponentially, despite the absence of winger Arjen Robben due to injury and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger due to suspension.
Football Lesson No.1:
When in possession of the ball in your own penalty box, do not dilly-dally!
Bayern’s winner, when it came in second half stoppage time, was the result of poor defending by United, but it was nevertheless a just reward for the German club’s industry and persistence.
Ivica Olic nicked the ball off the foot of the normally stalwart Patrice Evra, drove toward the center of the box, and slotted home past United ‘keeper Edwin van der Sar. The game was lost, but there was more loss to come.
Prior to Olic’s goal United striker Wayne Rooney had rolled his ankle over and sprained it badly. As the final whistle blew the Bayern players celebrated their victory and a forlorn Rooney was last seen hobbling off the pitch with assistance from United’s trainers.
This would not bode well for Manchester United’s fortunes.
Rooney’s recovery: two-four weeks? Or just one?
Early estimates were that Rooney’s ankle injury would keep him out for two-to-four weeks. Later two-three weeks were predicted. Whatever the required recovery time it seemed quite clear that Rooney would miss the massive league encounter with Chelsea at the weekend as well as the Champions League return match with Bayern.
In due course that big match with Chelsea came and went and without Rooney Manchester United looked uninspired. Indeed, even from the start there was an element of inelegance about United’s defense and flatness about their attack. Might Rooney have a made a difference? It’s debatable. Yet few would argue that his presence has had a talismanic property for United this season.
The pressures and fatigue of league and Champions League may have taken their toll and certainly Chelsea, their focus and legs unencumbered by competing competitions, were worthy winners against United on Saturday.
Rooney’s replacement, Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov, was unable to carry the team as Rooney has done this season.
Now comes word, incredibly, that Rooney may be ready to face Bayern in the return match on
Wednesday, having recovered quicker than expected.
Recovery from an ankle sprain in a week? One can only wonder at this.
Arjen Robben may be available for Bayern
In contrast to Manchester United’s injury issues, Bayern will probably have Arjen Robben available to them for the match at Old Trafford. Bayern manager Louis van Gaal kept Robben out of the first match but hopes he’ll be available this week.
“I have hopes he’ll be able to play, but we’ll have to wait and see. His muscles are still strained,” van Gaal said.
Robben is no stranger to the big stage in England. He played for Chelsea for three years and his experience lwill be a factor that van Gaal will be loath to lose. Yet Robben didn’t feature in Bayern’s 1-2 victory over Schalke at the weekend, nor was he on the bench.
Daniel van Buyten is also questionable. He received a knock to the knee against Schalke and although he has been named in the squad for the trip to Old Trafford his condition may not be fully known until just before game time.
A tough one for United
There’s little doubt that Bayern will prove a tough nut for Manchester United to crack on Wednesday. Even without stars Robben and Schweinsteiger in the line-up last week Bayern proved they have a capable squad and they gave Manchester United few opportunities to control the play.
But United are a proud club, and although they have not been at their best in their last two performances they will be playing in front of their home crowd and they have their backs to the proverbial wall. A goal will get them through, provided they don’t concede. But United’s defense has been less than inspirational recently. With Rooney or without him, United may have a better chance of snatching a goal than keeping a clean sheet against Bayern.
