‘Our goal in Bordeaux is to stay top of the table’

Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben have stayed at home in Munich, but even without their injured superstars, Bayern are determined to maintain their good progress in this term’s Champions League. “We’re going to Bordeaux aiming to win,” declared Germany striker Miroslav Klose before the FCB party set out on Tuesday to face French champions Girondins Bordeaux the following evening (Live in English on FCB Web Radio).

“Our goal in Bordeaux is to stay top of the table,” said keeper Jörg Butt ahead of the away meeting with the side lying second in Group A on goal difference, level on points with Munich. Girondins visit the Allianz Arena for the return on 3 November. “I reckon you have to look at the aggregate across both matches. Ideally, we’d come away with four points,” stated chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge before Bayern’s return to the scene of their solitary UEFA Cup triumph.

Rummenigge calls for a point

That was back in 1996, when caretaker boss Franz Beckenbauer led FCB to a 3-1 victory for a 5-1 aggregate triumph. “It was a wonderful game of football,” recalled Rummenigge. On this occasion, Louis van Gaal and his men could take a giant stride towards the Champions League knockout stages with a decent result in Bordeaux.