Created on 01-10-2012 at 00:00 AM
Belarus basked in glorious autumn weather when Bayern touched down in Minsk on Monday afternoon, with warm sunshine and temperatures around 15°C. A knot of Bayern fans had gathered at the team hotel, “and even came up with a couple of chants in German," Manuel Neuer revealed. The first few hours of the club's first-ever visit to the central European country was problem-free and simplicity itself.
However, that will undoubtedly not be the case when the Bavarians take on BATE Borisov on Tuesday evening (Live in English from 8.45 pm CET on FCB.de Free Web Radio). “It'll be a tough contest," predicted Jupp Heynckes, “but we're looking for another win tomorrow."
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge described himself as “respectful" before embarking on the 100-minute flight from Munich to Minsk. The chairman called for total concentration from the team on Tuesday evening when they step out at the 40,000 capacity Dynamo Stadium, just a stone's throw from the team hotel. “We simply mustn't underestimate our opponents," Rummenigge declared, “but our aim is to win. That would put us top of the table, and that is where we want to be at the end of the group stage. That would be a terrific story."