Bayern visits PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday (live text and free web radio Comments from 21:00 CET on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app) to close the league phase of the Champions League. Coach Vincent Kompany’s side will be looking to get back to winning ways after last weekend’s 2-1 Bundesliga defeat to FC Augsburg and secure one of the top two spots in Europe’s premier club competition. Find out what that would mean and get all the key information about the match in Eindhoven in our preview.
Final training session, press conference and more: all the day’s updates from Bayern ahead of the match against PSV Eindhoven:
On Saturday, FC Bayern suffered its first defeat of the season in the Bundesliga. Despite taking a 1-0 lead, the Munich team lost 2-1 to FC Augsburg in their own stadium at the Allianz Arena, but only four days later Bayern have the chance to react. “We have to look forward and react as we have done in the past,” said sports board member Max Eberl immediately after the Augsburg match. “Losing is never fun. We are disappointed, but the most important thing is how we react, how quickly we forget it, we concentrate on the next game and we react on the field. We want to take out the anger that we feel now and take it to the field in the next game and show our quality and energy,” explained defender Jonathan Tah, setting out FCB’s clear objective in Eindhoven.
Glenn van den Brink from FC Bayern Holland fan club reveals what Bayern fans can expect in Eindhoven:
Bayern have already qualified for the round of 16 and are enjoying an excellent league phase with six wins in seven games. In addition, the record champions are already guaranteed a place in the top four and, therefore, the right to play at home in the second leg of the round of 16 and, possibly, the quarterfinals. With a point or a victory, the Munich team would definitively finish the league phase in one of the top two places. In this way, FCB would also have the right to play the possible second leg of the semi-finals at home. “I never talk about losing when we still have a game to play. That’s not my mentality. It’s about winning,” coach Vincent Kompany said at Tuesday’s press conference.
The details of the match against Eindhoven:
PSV, whose squad includes two former FCB players, Paul Wanner and Ivan Perišić, are still fighting to advance in Europe’s main club competition. A 3-1 defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise in the opening match was followed by a run of four consecutive unbeaten matches, in which coach Peter Bosz’s team beat Napoli 6-2 and Liverpool 4-1. However, their most recent defeats came against Atlético de Madrid (3-2) and Newcastle United (3-0). With eight points, PSV is in 22nd place heading into the final matchday, in which the play-off would be played. “If we win, we are qualified, so we will play to win. If that doesn’t work, we will try to draw. And if that doesn’t work either, we will have to wait and see what happens in the other games,” said Bosz, summing up the situation. Despite the fact that on Saturday in the dress rehearsal for the match against FCB they only managed a 2-2 draw against the relegation candidate NAC Breda, Eindhoven absolutely dominates the national Eredivisie and has a 14-point advantage over second-placed Feyenoord. “We are well prepared and we know that it is an important match. We know that they are one of the best teams. But I know our strengths, that’s why I am optimistic,” said former FCB player Paul Wanner. “I had a great time at Bayern. I am incredibly grateful to the club.” Vincent Kompany, Bayern coach, said about the next opponent: “I would compare PSV and Bayern, there are many similarities: how we attack, the roles of the forwards, the number ten, the full-backs, the midfield, the preparation of the game. You can see that the team believes in itself. They are strong up front and very quick to counterattack and get to the goal. They also have players to score goals.”
We spoke to Arjen Robben about the clash in Eindhoven:
PSV will be without Myron Boadu, Alassane Pléa, Ruben van Bommel (all knee problems), Ricardo Pepi (forearm fracture), Yarek Gasiorowski (suspended) and Nick Olij (groin).
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