"We need a top performance in all areas"

"It's always exciting to play against Bayern and to test yourselves against them. We've managed to stay in touch and keep the gap small," said BVB coach Marco Rose on the day before the match. "Now we go head-to-head with them at our stadium. We want to try to hurt them and keep the three points here. But we'll need an absolutely top performance in all areas." Defender Thomas Meunier expressed a similar sentiment during the week. "We need to be 100% prepared, otherwise we don't have a chance. That's for sure. We reacted well against Wolfsburg after our defeat in Lisbon."

"Everyone could sense it was important," said Rose of the victory in Wolfsburg last weekend. Now the Black & Yellows will be aiming to build on their excellent home record in the Bundesliga this season (seven wins from seven games, top of the home table). But the BVB coach warned: "You need to have a very good day in all phases of the game. Bayern have a clear structure with the ball and a lot of power going forward. It's important to put them under pressure."

On the personnel front, Rose had no new injuries or comebacks to report. The involvement of Manuel Akanji, who has trained little this week, is not yet certain. Jude Bellingham returned to team training for the first time yesterday. Striker Erling Haaland, who played briefly against Wolfsburg, has had a "good week of training but we still need to be careful", explained Rose, who is not expecting his goal-getter to play 90 minutes. "We will see how long he can manage." 

Meanwhile, the coaches and players are looking forward to the match: "We're tense. It's a game that sends a message," said Rose. "We want to seize the opportunity tomorrow. Ahead of the match, the tension will go up another notch."
Christina Reinke

BVB TV by 1&1: The press conference prior to the game against Bayern