BAYERN Munich manager Thomas Tuchel is not giving up on his side reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals but he admits that they need a ‘miracle’ to advance past Manchester City.
The perennial German champions were beaten 3-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final tie by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium eight days ago, with the return leg set for tonight at the Allianz Arena.
It is rare for such a big margin to be overturned but Tuchel, who led Chelsea to beat Manchester City in the 2021 final, still has some hope.
“It will be a miracle if we pull it off, but we can’t just talk a miracle into existence,” Tuchel said yesterday during his pre-match press conference.
“Our first priority is to win the first half. If we can win both halves and we get the luck which we didn’t get in the first leg, then everything is possible.
“It’s a difficult task and we shouldn’t make it more difficult by looking only at the top of the mountain.”
The former Borussia Dortmund manager believes the home crowd can be a factor in inspiring his side to victory, especially as Bayern are going through a bit of a rough patch.
“We need to bring the crowd with us so they can create the kind of energy which you get in games where special things happen,” Tuchel added.
“We’ve looked a bit cramped and lacking confidence recently, but in football things can change very quickly.
“It’s in our own hands. We need to give it everything. We’re not alone – we have a good team and we have the fans. We have to go step by step. It’s a tough challenge, but we will take it on until the end.”
Bayern’s slim chances are boosted by the return of Cameroon striker Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, who missed their last three fixtures with a knee injury but took part in training yesterday.
