Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer is among the people, who are genuinely thrilled to see the Bavarians set to engage in a Champions League showdown with Real Madrid later today.
“I would describe the game as a Clásico at the European level. There was no encounter that happened more often in the history of the Champions than this one. I think it’s already 26 times if you include the European Cup. We’ve won 12 times, Real 11 times. So it’s always exciting. Real have won all of the last three games. So we have to make sure we change things today,” Hainer told Bild (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
Bayern Munich and Real Madrid represent the “old guard” of sorts for world football. There are not oligarchs or oil-funded countries running either club, but they both continue to produce top-level squads.
“That shows how well both clubs have worked in recent years, so that on the one hand they are incredibly successful in terms of sports, but on the other hand they are also very stable financially. Everything we have built like Real – such as the stadium or the campus – we have generated through our own efforts. For that, both clubs enjoy the highest recognition throughout the football world,” Hainer remarked. “Our team played excellently in their last games – both against Arsenal and in the league. Despite the injuries we keep having, the team has developed well in the last few weeks, which gives me confidence for the games against Real.”
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Bayern Munich’s massive Champions League showdown with Real Madrid? We’ve got you covered with our Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show, where we dive into the game, Bayern Munich’s tenuous injury situation, a guess on Thomas Tuchel’s lineup, and a prediction on the game. Check it out on Spotify or below: