FCB vow to send out a signal against Roma

When Bastian Schweinsteiger looks back on last season’s stunning Champions League campaign, he does so “with a tiny tinge of regret”, the lingering aftertaste of losing to Inter in the final. 116 days after the 2-0 reverse in Madrid, Bayern kick off a new European adventure at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday evening (Live in English from 8.30 pm CET on FCB Web Radio). “We want to go just as far again,” said Schweinsteiger. The final in Madrid was “a huge motivating factor” for all the players. “We’re planning great things again this season,” confirmed Philipp Lahm.

The German winners aim to offer a sign of things to come when they open this term’s campaign against Italian runners-up AS Roma. “We want to make clear our intention to dominate the group. We want to march away with it at the top and send out a first signal tomorrow,” declared Lahm. Added Schweinsteiger: “We’re favourites in the group, and we have to go out and live up to that billing.”