Bayern Munich were up against Italian giants Inter Milan and Barcelona in last night’s UEFA Champions League group stage draw
Bayern Munich were up against Italian giants Inter Milan and Barcelona in last night’s UEFA Champions League group stage draw
Feeling confident after Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann His side was drawn into the Champions League group Stage with his former striker Robert Lewandowski’s new club Barcelona and Italy’s powerhouse Inter Milan.
The three European heavyweights were drafted into Group C on Thursday with Czech club Viktoria Plzen, a few weeks after Bayern’s second all-time top scorer Lewandowski, Joined La Liga Club,
“I don’t know if I smiled when it (the draw) happened, but it was a bit of Murphy’s Law,” he told a news conference.
He said, “To be honest, I expected it to happen. It is definitely the most challenging group. In my mind I have already directed the film how it should go and I am confident that we will go ahead.”
Lewandowski to face Bayern
Poland forward Lewandowski enjoyed an impressive eight years at Bayern, winning almost every major domestic and international club trophy, including eight Bundesliga titles with him, as well as the Champions League and Club World Cup.
The 34-year-old has scored 344 goals in 375 games for Bayern, second only to club great forward Gerd Müller. He joined Barcelona last month in a 45 million euro ($45.03 million) deal after being forced out of the German club.
His departure angered some Bayern fans but Nagelsmann said the player deserved the highest respect when he returned to Munich with Barcelona in the Champions League.
“I am not interested in what is said or written,” the coach said. “I think there will be applause. I don’t like to whistle against anyone. I want fans to receive him just as they celebrated his goals here. He absolutely deserves it.”
“It’s a professional sport and it happens that you leave a club. It’s not like he left after one season at the age of 21. He achieved a huge number of things here,” Nagelsmann said.