• Champions League

Guardiola: It's life or death against United

ESPN staff
April 8, 2014
Bayern Munich without midfield quartet

Pep Guardiola says Bayern Munich's quarter-final second-leg tie against Manchester United in the Champions League is a "life or death match" and the pressure mounts on his side to succeed.

Real reason why United didn't push for Pep?

Pep Guardiola and David Moyes before the first leg © Getty Images
  • A tetchy exchange with journalists following Bayern Munich's 1-1 draw against Manchester United might have shone some light on why Pep Guardiola is not managing in England
  • Click here for more

Bayern scored a potentially decisive away goal in the first leg but Guardiola fears United will still be a threat at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night.

"It's a final, a life or death match," he said. "United will be looking to hit us on the break and at set plays and we have to be aware of that. They are one of the best teams in the world, but our away goal is very important even though 1-1 can be very dangerous."

Bayern were beaten for the first time in 53 games in the Bundesliga on Saturday by Augsburg, and will be without the injured Xherdan Shaqiri and the suspended duo of Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez against United.

The loss to Augsburg was Bayern's third successive failure to secure victory, an unfamiliar experience for Guardiola's side having already wrapped up the Bundesliga title in record quick-time towards the end of March.

Bayern's Jerome Boateng, the former Manchester City defender, says they cannot afford to rely on their away goal.

"I've got a few butterflies in my stomach," Boateng said. "It's like a final and we've got to play to win because we will end up losing if we play for a goalless draw."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
ESPN staff Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices