Lyon v Bayern Munich
Posted Tuesday, April 27, 2010 by BBC.com
Louis van Gaal returns to form at Bayern Munich
Van Gaal called Bayern a "dream club" when he joined in July 2009
Champions League semi-final first leg: Lyon v Bayern Munich
Venue: Stade de Gerland Date: Tuesday 27 April Kick-off: 1945 BST
Coverage: Coverage on BBC Sport website and BBC Radio 5 live and live TV coverage on Sky Sports
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It is 15 years since Bayern Munich manager Louis van Gaal got his hands on the Champions League trophy for the first and so far only time.
That golden moment came when Ajax, the team he led to both European and domestic glory during a heady seven-year tenure, beat AC Milan 1-0 thanks to an 85th-minute goal from Patrick Kluivert.
On Tuesday, the 58-year-old Van Gaal will move a step closer to reliving those glory years of the 1990s if his Bundesliga leaders see off Lyon in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.
Bayern - or FC Hollywood as the club is sometimes known due to their habit of dominating the back as well the front pages of German newspapers - have made no secret of their desire to to become kings of Europe for the fifth time since 1974.
The club could win silverware on two other fronts as they head the Bundesliga and have a date with Werder Bremen in the German Cup final on 15 May, but winning European football's showpiece event a week later is the primary goal.
"General manager Uli Hoeness makes no secret in saying that Bayern want to win the Champions League," former England and Arsenal striker Tony Woodcock told BBC Sport.
"He's not concerned if they win the Bundesliga 10 times on the trot. He wants to be successful in Europe. That's what he wants, for them to be top of the tree."
Woodcock, a veteran observer of German football since breaking transfer records when he signed for Cologne for £500,000 in 1979, believes that, in Van Gaal, Bayern have the man to achieve that goal.
"Bayern are a top European club, one of the best run clubs on and off the field that I've seen in professional football," he said. "And you need a big-time manager who can handle big-time players."
That ability to handle star players was displayed in the first leg victory against Lyon after the architect of their run, Arjen Robben, stormed off after being substituted. Rather than trying to placate his countryman, Van Gaal let him know in no uncertain terms that his behaviour was unacceptable.
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