Real Madrid: Q and A with The Bavarians ahead of the UCL semifinal
6. Do you feel that the approach and outlook of the players would be different if this was one match rather than two legs?
“For sure. I think it’s pretty safe to say everyone would rather face Real Madrid in the semi-finals than in the final. The Champions League is Madrid’s competition, and they’re guaranteed favorites in any final in which they appear. However, they’re slightly more manageable across two legs.”
“As Juventus showed at the Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid definitely have their weaknesses. Bayern will have 180 minutes, with 90 of those taking place at the Allianz Arena, to find and exploit those. That seems a much more feasible task than trying to defeat Ronaldo and co. in a one-off match in the final game of the season. Not that Bayern Munich couldn’t do it, but it’d definitely be more difficult.”
7. How does Arturo Vidal being injured change Bayern’s approach to the game? He was a pain for Madrid last season, does not having him diminish the team’s chance of success?
“Actually, I’m not sure Arturo Vidal would have started anyway, particularly in the home leg. Last season, he played alongside Thiago and Xabi Alonso in a sort of destroyer role. This season, Heynckes has moved Javi Martinez back into midfield where he has excelled once again. Even when Vidal is healthy, I think Bayern’s best midfield trio consists of Javi Martinez, Thiago Alcantara, and James Rodriguez. Martinez is inarguably a better pure ball-winner than Vidal, and will give Casemiro a real run for his money in defensive midfield.”
“Thiago, while not as intense in his playstyle as his Chilean teammate, actually offers as much defensively as Vidal. Thiago’s reading of the game is second to none; he’s superb at intercepting passes and can actually tackle much better than anyone gives him credit for. If Bayern wanted to play more defensively, Vidal would be an excellent option to replace Thiago or James. But between Corentin Tolisso and Sebastian Rudy, we should be okay without Arturo Vidal.”
8. Do you think James’ eagerness to play against his old club will get the better of him?
“First off, thank you. Thank you so much. James Rodriguez has been a godsend for Bayern Munich this season. I can’t imagine why Real Madrid let him go so cheaply, but I’m not complaining. The Colombian may very well be Bayern’s best player of the season. He found his form late in 2017 and hasn’t looked back since. He’s no doubt eager to face his former club, but I don’t think that will get the better of him.”
“Nerves don’t really seem to impact him in a negative way. If anything, they spur him on. James has been particularly superb for Bayern in big games this season. I expect him to simply play his game against his former club. If an opportunity comes his way, he’ll bury it. But he’s not going to go out of his way looking for a goal. He’ll find space between the lines and look to create opportunities for both himself and his teammates.”
Next: What does the future hold for Real Madrid loanee Raul de Tomas?
There you have it, we’d like to thank Bayern Strikes for taking the time to sit down with us and field a few questions. They also asked us some questions and you can see our response on their page here.