Bayern expecting challenging opponent in Tottenham, ahead of Champions League clash
Record ID:
1434355
Bayern expecting challenging opponent in Tottenham, ahead of Champions League clash
- Title: Bayern expecting challenging opponent in Tottenham, ahead of Champions League clash
- Date: 30th September 2019
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (SEPTEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS) BAYERN MUNICH COACH NIKO KOVAC ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN MUNICH COACH NIKO KOVAC, SAYING: "I personally think it (the game) will be a mix. They are playing in their own stadium on their island that means they will be pushed by the fans. And of course the team they are up against is Bayern Munich. They will certainly be giving it their all from the first minute. They are going to try and put us under pressure which is what a lot of the British teams do when they are playing at home. But aside from that there is the actual football element. The football that Tottenham plays is very creative, very good to look at, very innovative. And this will be awaiting us tomorrow so we have to see that we are ready both physically and mentally but are also tactically able to answer what they throw at us tomorrow." (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN MUNICH COACH NIKO KOVAC, SAYING: "The goalkeepers are very, very important. You know how it is, if you play for Bayern Munich or FC Tottenham you don't get that much to do. If a ball comes towards the goal then the reply has to be effective, to be able to keep the team in the game, or at least to stop them falling behind. At the moment both goalkeepers are up to this. I can speak of Manuel (Manuel Neuer) he plays very well. He is a very, very strong support, not just in the last season but also for this one. And tomorrow in this stadium, with this atmosphere, with this backdrop, with this Champions League game both goalkeepers will have to have a good day so that their teams can be successful." (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN MUNICH COACH NIKO KOVAC, SAYING: "I claim that he (Harry Kane) and Levi (Robert Lewandowski) are the top two or three or four in the world. It is that way at the moment. Both of them are very successful and I am eager to see how it goes tomorrow and otherwise I will be giving my team the necessary information on Harry Kane, but I hope you understand that I won't be sharing that with you." (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN MUNICH COACH NIKO KOVAC, SAYING: "I won here in 2007 and then I think we played here again two years later, but I wasn't with the national team anymore and we lost 1-5. So I have very good memories of London, which will stay. And I hope that tomorrow we can take the good feelings I remember into the game with us. Otherwise there is pressure on Tottenham, they have to get points tomorrow. We know this and we also want to take our points tomorrow or at least the minimum points as that will give us a very good position against the next two games against
- Embargoed: 14th October 2019 18:17
- Keywords: Tottenham Hotspur Bayern Munich Champions League soccer
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001AYUN6TB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: WHITE FLASHES IN STORY
Tottenham Hotspur's philosophy under manager Mauricio Pochettino should be held up as a beacon for clubs competing in Europe and is proof that patience is ultimately rewarded, Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac said on Monday.
Despite a limited transfer budget, Spurs have qualified for the Champions League for four consecutive seasons under Pochettino and they exceeded expectations by reaching their maiden final last year, finishing runners-up to Liverpool.
Spurs' biggest threat is Harry Kane, who has scored 160 goals in all competitions in the past five seasons, and Kovac said he saw similarities in his own striker Robert Lewandowski, who has finished as Bundesliga's top scorer four times.
Kovac confirmed defender Lucas Hernandez, who was injured in their last Bundesliga match at Paderborn, was not involved in training while full back David Alaba and winger Ivan Perisic would be fit to play on Tuesday.
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