Regeneration and preparation as Bayern turn sights to Atlético

Bayern didn’t have much time to savour their first away league win of the season. Not long after returning to Munich, the players were already back in training at Säbener Straße on Sunday morning. While the starting XI from the 4-1 victory at Arminia Bielefeld just did regeneration work, the rest of the squad were setting about the next assignment: the Champions League match against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday.

Full focus on Champions League

“We need to maintain the rhythm and win the next game too,” summarised Robert Lewandowski after the final whistle in Bielefeld. The double goalscorer admitted that the first Bundesliga game after the international is “always a bit difficult”, which is why the men from Munich can take a lot of heart from the win into Europe. “The Champions League is always special, but we’re prepared for the game,” stressed the 32-year-old.

Robert Lewandowski’s excellent performance was a big factor in Bayern taking home the three points from Bielefeld:

But before the meeting with the Spaniards, there’s still some work to do in training. “The good thing is that we’re playing on Wednesday, so we have an extra day,” said Manuel Neuer on Saturday evening. After the necessary recovery, Bayern can “be at full strength when we take on Atlético at home”, added the FCB captain.

Respect and excitement for Atlético clash

The German record champions certainly have respect for their opening opponents in this season’s Champions League, even if it’s difficult to gauge the exact performance levels. “It’s the first game, so you never know where your opponents are at in the Champions League,” said Neuer, before highlighting: “They’re a strong and awkward team. They were rightly in the knockout stages last season. Everyone knows the players, so we can look forward to a great night of football on Wednesday.”

Bayern were particularly pleased with their first-half performance at Bielefeld: