FC Bayern München: joy over Benfica – SPIEGEL ONLINE

The draw of the Champions League quarter-finals was quite to the taste of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Wolfsburg vs Real Madrid and Bayern Munich and Benfica: Who is the favorite in this duel and who outsider, there is no doubt about it. The Board Boss Munich had demanded on Wednesday after the dramatic advancement over Juventus, seedings for the whacked-round. If there were as Rummenigge it would imagine probably come out exactly the now dissolved pairings here. There is the greatest possible boredom, so it is good from Bayern’s point of view.

We respect Benfica, which belong to so in a K.o game in the Champions League. The best argument for this was provided Bavaria Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso. He recalled how difficult it had done in the past year in the quarterfinals in Portugal. At that time lost the Bayern in the first leg at FC Porto 1: 3 (then won but at home 6: 1). This latest round against Juve is good for reminder.

Despite the draw helps Bayern once to reduce the stress that had been building up in recent days. In Munich, the leaders seemed tired or irritable after heavy Juve game. An opponent like Barcelona would much rather revived concerns about the early failure. Prompt it went loose and pragmatic Sabener road. Alonso, Franck Ribery, David Alaba and sporting director Matthias Sammer, they all commented extensively on Benfica.

“We have great plans” had

Alaba the draw being persecuted at home, 20 minutes later, he was already moved to the podium. “Both good,” he said when asked whether the lot or its recently announced contract extension was the better message. The 23-year-old Austrian, who had played on Wednesday against Turin considerably below its level was good for now as a mood. Would he not think that his good friend Ribéry also received a contract extension? “I think we want him here so long have, as he can go,” slimmest Alaba

For him is the extension to 2021 a dream come true. “I am here since 2008 , Munich has become a second home for me. ” And overlooking Javier Martínez, Thomas Mueller and Jerome Boateng, who had tied two months ago by 2021, he added: “We know what we have at the club and we have a lot of plans..”

the long-term contracts, the market value of the professionals have been increased such that they could well deter even the increasingly rich English clubs. These fit a statement of Txiki Begiristain, the sporting director of future Guardiola clubs Manchester City. He had said he could not promise to try to poach any player of Bayern. Sammer’s answer was dry: “I believe we determine what happened.” With the signature of the identification figure Alaba he could at the same time re-check is being talked about. And use words such as “planning security”, “stability” and “tradition”.

“There was indeed a bit of excitement to my person”

Sammer count it against its main tasks, always make sure that no one drives a wedge between people of the association , Therefore he had come to talk to itself. He did this without being asked: “There was indeed a bit of excitement to my person in relation to Uli.” Sammer had midweek called a statement of Uli Hoeness “stupid stuff”, after which Josep Guardiola have the goal to win the Triple. Sammer phoned on Thursday with Hoeness and assured: “. We are in the matter agree” They had an “excellent relationship”, a “super wire.”

Then it went out to the final training under clear blue sky, the Bayern play on Saturday afternoon at 1. FC Köln (15.30 High-live ticker SPIEGEL ONLINE; TV: Sky). The quarterfinal Los soothes Bayern tempers also because this time the Bundesliga a major stress factor than in the past two years. Dortmund is only five points away. Whether that perhaps even more concentrated, better make the Bavaria, Sammer was still in demand. The answer was clear: “I respect Dortmund But I do not need all that..” Because of all the winning the championship had Sammer always output as the true goal for the season.