Villarreal of Spain receives the powerful Bayern Munich this Wednesday (3:00 p.m.) in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals looking to give the big surprise against the German giant, multiple European champions.
The ‘Yellow Submarine’ already gave a first bell by getting rid of Juventus in the round of 16 of the continental tournament (1-1, 3-0), a feat that he would like to repeat against the Bavarians.
“We respect Bayern a lot, but we are going to see where we can find our strengths to overcome them,” coach Unai Emery said on Tuesday.
The Spanish team has been somewhat shaken by their performance in recent games after three defeats in their last five league games, including last Saturday against Levante (2-0).
Seventh in the Spanish championship standings, 12 points behind the Champions League positions, Villarreal looks to Europe as a way of reacting.
“They are two completely different competitions, that (the defeat in the League) cannot affect us for tomorrow’s game,” goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli said on Tuesday.
The ‘Yellow Submarine’ is confident in its strength in Europe, where it has not lost a tie since Unai Emery took over the reins of the team.
– The dream of the Champions –
Last year he won his fourth Europa League and now the Basque coach wants to win his first ‘Orejona’.
“We beat Atalanta and Young Boys in the group stage, we eliminated Juventus, we had a career in the Europa League with Champions teams last season, Manchester United, Chelsea in the European Super Cup… All this experience makes us relativize that we are a surprise or that we have no options, ”said Emery.
On Wednesday the ‘Yellow Submarine’ can continue to take steps in that direction and try to get a little closer to the second semi-final in its history in the Champions League, after the one they lost in the 2005/2006 season against Arsenal.
Opposite will be a fearsome Bayern Munich, against whom they lost in their only clash in the Champions League in the group stage in 2011 (3-1, 2-0).
The German team widely dominated their group and only had a scare in the first leg of the round of 16 when they drew 1-1 with Salzburg in the last minute, which they then crushed 7-1 in the return leg.
– Lewandowski and the goal –
Bayern continues to be scary, driven by their Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, top scorer in the Champions League with 12 goals.
The Bayern striker has 45 goals and 4 assists in 38 official games this season, enough to scare any rival.
The German team, who have not lost in Spain for five years, appear at the Ceramics as the great favorite to go through the tie, but their coach Julian Nagelsmann warns against the executioner of Juventus.
“It is an experienced team. His coach (Unai Emery) has won a lot on the international scene”, admitted Nagelsmann this Tuesday at the press conference prior to the match.
Villarreal “attacks risking, they are shot and are not easy to break, but I am confident that we will be able to prevail”, added the Bayern coach.
Bayern go to the La Cerámica stadium with midfielder Corentin Tolisso out at the last minute with muscle problems, but they recover Canadian winger Alphonso Davies, who was the victim of myocarditis.
“We are going to think about whether he can play as a starter tomorrow, we are going to see him and talk about him this afternoon,” Nagelsmann said.
PROBABLE LINEUPS
Villarreal: Rulli; Foyth, Albiol, Pau Torres, Pedraza; Trigueros, Capoue, Parejo; Lo Celso, Gerard Moreno, Danjuma. DT: Unai Emery.
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Pavard, Sule, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kimmich, Goretzka; Gnabry, Mueller, Coman; Lewandowski. DT: Julian Nagelsmann.
