Repeating as Barclays Premier League champions may no longer be in the cards but that doesn’t mean Manchester United is wary about their chances in the upcoming UEFA Champions League quarterfinal round. The fact that the defending BPL champs currently sit seventh in the twenty-club league and 10 points out of the fourth slot is certainly not sitting well internally but due to the franchises ongoing success in the UCL, first-year boss David Moyes has complete confidence that his side can take down Bundesliga giant Bayern Munich. Overcoming a 2-0 deficit in the Round of 16 against Olympiakos gives the former Everton boss more to believe in as well.
“We will probably go into the quarterfinal tie as underdogs but I don’t see why we can’t win it,” Moyes said after United’s impressive 3-0 victory in the second leg match against Olympiakos. “This football club is capable of it. If we play to our capabilities, which we've not shown that often this season, I think we can be a match for any team. This club has history in the competition. It knows what to do at this stage. We’re not shocked to be in the quarterfinals. It's something we do regularly. We will try to get into the last four now.”
While United will look for a brief respite from their Premier League struggles when they host Bayern Tuesday in England, the German club will step away from their league fixtures in order to take another step toward the UCL crown. With a comfortable lead in the Bundesliga over Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich surely possesses the ability to put up big numbers against any opponent, but that doesn’t mean long-time United star Ryan Giggs is losing faith when it comes to his team’s ability to pull what would undoubtedly be a major upset.
“Of course it is possible,'' the midfielder said when asked whether or not it’s possible for United to move past Bayern. “You need to play well, to get that little bit of luck which we didn't have last year. Being criticized comes with the territory when you are a Manchester United player and Bayern are a fantastic team. They are favorites in most people's eyes, but we are Manchester United and at Old Trafford we have had so many great nights. We don't see ourselves as underdogs. It is going to be tough but it is always is in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. We are looking forward to it.”
Manchester United vs. Bayern Munich: DATE, TIME & VIEWING INFO
DATE: Tuesday, April 1
TIME: 2:45pm, ET
TV COVERAGE: FOX Sports 1
LIVE STREAM: CLICK HERE
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.