If you visited Munich these days, and opened the sport pages of the newspapers, or read the portals, you probably wouldn’t notice that Bayern is playing in the quarter-finals of the Champions League tonight. And there are reasons for that: Bayern are used to quarter-finals of the most prestigious European competition. The Bavarians will play tonight their 10th quarter final in 11 years (compared to Villarreal’s first in 13 years). They won all six 2021/22 group games — the only team left in this season’s competition to do so — as they reached the knockout stages for the 14th successive season, and the 24th time in the last 25 campaigns.🌟 #UCL-Throwback: Franck #Ribéry 🆚. Villarreal. 🤩🙌#MiaSanMia #FCBayern #VCFFCB pic.twitter.com/hM3nY1SWjQ— FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) April 6, 2022 Bayern are strong in defense, and scary in attack. Munich have conceded a joint-competition low five goals this season, a total matched only by Real Madrid, and on the other side they are Europe’s most efficient team in the Champions League. They scored 30 goals in 8 games so far, and have a streak of 30 games in which they scored only once. Last time they failed to score was three years ago, against Liverpool (0-0), with whom they will meet in case they knock out Villarreal.The best-organized club in the world has no idea how many players they’ve got on the pitchAnd former Arsenal boss, now in charge of the Spanish team knows he needs a perfect game from his players in order to have a chance against an in-form Bavarians.“We progressed through a group stage with Manchester United and Atalanta, we eliminated Juventus in a great clash, and we’ve faced important opponents in Europe both this year and in the past. All this experience makes us shake off the concept of being a surprise. But we have to play a perfect game. They are the favorites and in the 90 minutes they have the opportunity to make the difference. We respect Bayern, we have analyzed them” said the Spaniard before the game.Cautious giants face-off at the BridgeThe ‘Yellow submarine’ will count on their strong defense, wisdom of Emery and speed of Arnaut Danjuma and Gerard Moreno in the attack. Villarreal see their chances in the counterattacks, a tactics which suited Salzburg well in the last round against Bayern, at least in the first match. But again, The Bavarians love to play against Spanish teams. In 65 matches against the teams from Spain, Munich has 31 wins (20 at home) and only 19 defeats. Bayern are seven games unbeaten against Spanish teams.Jamal Musiala – ‘Bambi’ in Bayern’s midfieldThat is maybe why Thomas Muller was more focused on the semi-final and even final of the Champions League than on Villarreal. In his newsletter, the German midfielder said:“Our main goal this year is to reach the final. We also want to deliver in the Bundesliga and expressly not create tension in the championship fight. If we progress, we’ll meet the winner between Benfica and Liverpool. A meeting with Manchester City and my former coach Pep Guardiola is therefore only possible in the final. Since 2016 I’ve been wishing for a game against Pep’s team”.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUEQuarter-final, first legTuesdayManchester City – Atletico Madrid 1-0 (0-0)/De Bruyne 70/Benfica – Liverpool 1-3 (0-2)/Nunez 49 – Konate 17, Mane 34, Diaz 87/Wednesday22.00: (2.15) Chelsea (3.35) Real Madrid (3.80)22.00: (5.60) Villareal (4.00) Bayern (1.67)***odds are subject to change
