Bayern Munich may find themselves trailing Bayer Leverkusen by 10 points with 10 games remaining in the Bundesliga this season, but they remain determined to mount a comeback, drawing inspiration from their recent success in the Champions League.
Despite the challenging circumstances and the impending departure of coach Thomas Tuchel at the season’s end, Bayern displayed a commanding performance with a 3-0 victory over Lazio on Tuesday to secure a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The triumph has injected a much-needed boost of confidence as Bayern prepares to face second-bottom Mainz 05 in a crucial league match at home on Saturday. Coach Tuchel acknowledged the significance of the upcoming challenges, stating, “We must now up the ante.
We can be happy about beating Lazio, but on Saturday, we face Mainz, and they will make our life difficult. We have to maintain this momentum, which has not been easy for us this season.”
Despite winning only one of their last four Bundesliga matches, Bayern, the reigning champions for the past 11 seasons, is currently in second place with 54 points, trailing behind Leverkusen, who are aspiring to clinch their first league title.
Bayern CEO Herbert Hainer expressed relief over the Champions League success, emphasizing the need to shift focus to the upcoming Bundesliga clash with Mainz.
Hainer remarked, “The win against Lazio is good for all of us. Now we must focus on Mainz because in the Bundesliga, things can still happen.”
Meanwhile, Leverkusen faces the challenge of maintaining their lead as they host VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday and embark on a journey to Azerbaijan for Thursday’s Europa League Round of 16 game against Qarabag FK.
Although Xabi Alonso’s team remains unbeaten in all competitions this season, midfielder Granit Xhaka cautioned against complacency, drawing parallels to his experience with Arsenal last season when they let an eight-point lead slip in the Premier League.