Defensive capabilities in the spotlight

FCBayernNews · News fetcher Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 1323 votes: 2

25.09.2006

After dealing with worthy but less than household-name strikers Jan Schlaudraff, Artur Wichniarek and Ivan Saenko in domestic competition so far this term, Bayern will be transported to a different world on Wednesday when they come face-to-face with a veritable who's who of European attacking football. Inter Milan are likely to field Hernan Crespo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front against the Reds, with Brazil goal-getter Adriano waiting in the wings, as the German champions' newly-formed central defensive pairing faces its biggest challenge so far.

"Inter are a massive team with big-name players," Lucio acknowledged on Monday. The Brazilian has played alongside new signing Daniel van Buyten at centre-half this term, a partnership which the 2002 World Cup winner described as "good, but not yet perfect."

Iron-willed defence

However, the central defenders are not the only players in the spotlight at the Giuseppe Meazza stadium. The entire team must deliver a focused defensive performance, van Buyten told weekly magazine kicker. "We mustn't just be thinking about attack. We have to do a job in defence," the Belgian colossus declared. "We must work harder about defending, especially in the Champions League."

In the Bundesliga, the interplay between the strikers and the rearguard has not always worked smoothly, as illustrated by defeat in Bielefeld and a less than convincing 2-1 home victory over Aachen. "We can improve in defence, and we must do so," van Buyten insisted. Willy Sagnol agreed: "We have to be more disciplined against the big teams."

Hoping for clean sheet

"What really matters is that we play as a team," the France right-back continued. Bayern are utterly determined to contain the potent Inter forward line, already up to nine goals in four domestic league matches this term. "We're looking to keep a clean sheet," van Buyten confirmed.

MUTU

The defence is looking very shaky. It seems the partnership between Lucio and van Buyten, although promising, is still a long way off. Lucio for one needs to be much more disciplined and can't afford to run upfield whenever he has the chance, else Inter will punish us badly.