Bayern Munich – Olympique Lyonnais

Posted Wednesday, April 21, 2010 by Goal.com

While FCB are experienced campaigners at the sharp end of European competition, les Gones are embarking on their first trip into the semi-finals...

Kick Off: Wednesday, April 21, 2010. 20:45 CET
Allianz Arena, Munich

Devil Slayers

After the group stages of the Champions League, few would have predicted that Bayern Munich would meet Olympique Lyonnais at the semi-final stage, yet with only two matchdays remaining before the final in Madrid, these two sides are set to play off for the right to run out at the Bernabeu on May 22.

Die Roten’s progress to this stage reads like the storyline of a movie, rendering their nickname FC Hollywood even more apt. Progress from the group stages was tricky and ultimately came down to the Germans gaining a positive result away to Juventus to win through. They did so in some style, with goalkeeper Hans-Joerg Butt getting his name on the scoresheet via the penalty spot.

The drama hasn’t stopped since Louis van Gaal’s side leapt into the last 16. Pitted against Fiorentina, a late Arjen Robben thunderbolt from distance was required to arrest a fine comeback from the Viola, who felt wronged at the Allianz Arena in the first leg when Miroslav Klose tucked away a late goal that was clearly offside.

Against Manchester United in the quarter-finals there were even more twists and turns. Trailing 4-2 on aggregate just before the midway point of the return leg at Old Trafford, FCB mustered one of the great European comebacks, with Ivica Olic’s goal just before the break turning the tide in favour of the Bundesliga club before another Robben cracker sent the “typical Germans” into the last four.

It would be wrong to suggest that this campaign has been a wall-to-wall success for Bayern, as their league form left something to be desired at the outset of the season, but as the business end of the season rolls around, Van Gaal has his side playing remarkably well, Friday night’s 7-0 demolition of Hannover serving to emphasise this.

Acting The Underdogs

Olympique Lyonnais’ domestic dominance in France may be at a decade-long low, but les Gones have forged further into Europe than they have ever previously managed before. This historic campaign has already taken them past the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid, and Claude Puel’s side are looking to complete a hat-trick of giant scalps when they meet Bayern Munich.

It has been the ambition and business acumen of president Jean-Michel Aulas that has been the driving force for OL’s push to the top, but now that les Gones have reached Europe’s top four, he is keen to style his side as heavy underdogs before their trip to Germany.

Speaking to the club’s official website, ‘JMA’ has complained of injury problems, the volcanic ash that has compelled les Gones to make the long drive to Munich, and the weekend’s match against Girondins de Bordeaux, which was a fiery affair to say the least.

FCB failed twice against les Girondins in the autumn, but Lyon managed to pick up a point against Laurent Blanc’s side at the weekend with a 2-2 draw. That did not stop Aulas branding Bordeaux defender Henrique an “assassin” for a thumping tackle on Lisandro Lopez, who has been OL’s offensive talisman this season.

Despite Aulas’ misgivings, pantomime or otherwise, OL are actually enjoying something of a high at present. Following a promising start to the campaign, a disastrous period in the autumn threatened to compromise their whole season, but they have begun to flourish again in 2010, impressing particularly in the bigger games, as Real Madrid found to their cost.

FORM GUIDE

Bayern

WON 7-0 (h) Hannover (Bundesliga, April 16)

DREW 1-1 (a) Bayer Leverkusen (Bundesliga, April 10)

LOST 3-2 (a) Manchester United (Champions League, April 7)

WON 2-1 (a) Schalke (Bundesliga, April 3)

WON 2-1 (h) Manchester United (Champions League, March 30)

Lyon

DREW 2-2 (a) Girondins de Bordeaux (Ligue 1, April 17)

DREW 1-1 (h) Lille (Ligue 1, April 11)

LOST 1-0 (a) Girondins de Bordeaux (Champions League, April 7)

WON 2-1 (a) Stade Rennais (Ligue 1, April 3)

WON 3-1 (h) Girondins de Bordeaux (Champions League, March 30)

TEAM NEWS

Bayern

Franck Ribery was withdrawn from last weekend’s win over Hannover as a preventative measure and is expected to be available for Wednesday’s match, though Louis van Gaal won’t take any undue risks with the Frenchman, whose private life is currently under severe scrutiny in his homeland.

Holger Badstuber is suspended so Diego Armando Contento, whose parents were unsurprisingly Napoli fans, will step into the left-back berth. More natural in that position than Badstuber, the teenager is a little raw and lacks experience.

Mark van Bommel is out, and it is not entirely clear who will be the steel fist to Bastian Schweinsteiger’s silk glove in the centre of the field, though Danijel Pranjic, who has deputised for the German in the past, may be the man selected. Anatoliy Tymoshchuk is presently out of favour with Louis van Gaal.

Out-of-form Mario Gomez is liable to find himself benched as Ivica Olic’s form has been excellent in the big games.

Probable Starting XI: Butt; Lahm, Van Buyten, Demichelis, Contento; Robben, Schweinsteiger, Pranjic, Ribery; Olic, Mueller

Lyon

Les Gones still have an array of complaints to give general manager Claude Puel cause for a headache. Centre-backs Dejan Lovren (ineligible), Mathieu Bodmer and Jean-Alain Boumsong (both injured) won’t be able to feature, while right-back Francois Clerc is the only other issue.

The midfield could welcome Jean Makoun back into the centre as the former Lille player has been passed fit to travel to Germany, while Maxime Gonalons is also back in contention after missing the weekend fixture against Bordeaux due to a ban.

Probable Starting XI: Lloris; Reveillere, Cris, Toulalan, Cissokho; Kallstrom, Makoun; Bastos, Pjanic, Delgado; Lisandro

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Bayern

Arjen Robben has been in breathtaking form for die Roten in recent weeks, and has indisputably been their key man since the turn of the year, winning countless man of the match accolades and scoring goals aplenty. He has 15 goals in his last 16 matches, including decisive late strikes against Fiorentina and Manchester United, and single-handedly won just about every match Bayern played in March. Lyon will be hard pushed to stop the red-hot Dutchman.

Lyon

Hugo Lloris has been les Gones’ star man in the Champions League to date this season, and he will certainly have his work cut out in Germany on Wednesday night. Behind a depleted defence it is likely he will be significantly worked, but he has proven his calibre as a top quality custodian away to the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool already this season.

PREDICTION

A number of factors make Bayern the favourites for this tie, with Friday night’s terrific performance a great platform from which to build confidence. FCB will not have it easy against a Lyon side who have tended to reserve their best for the big stage this season, and it’s likely that there will be a great deal to play for in France next week.

Bayern Munich 2-1 Olympique Lyonnais