BayernForum.com

21.02.2007

For all his years of experience, veteran coach Ottmar Hitzfeld could not prevent himself from celebrating Mark van Bommel's late strike in Bayern's 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid as if it was his first outing on European football's biggest stage. The General pumped the air, raised his hands to the heavens, performed an impromptu touchline dance and unleashed a cry of triumph as an evening of fluctuating fortunes at the Stadio Santiago Bernabeu finished on a memorable note.

"It was unbelievable, a highlight," he smiled after returning to European action in the same place he had left it almost three years previously. "I thought to myself – this can't be happening, you're here at the Bernabeu. Three weeks ago, you were skiing in Engelberg, but now you're back on the European stage," the 58-year-old continued.

<b>All smiles afterwards</b>

At the final whistle, the big names at Real Madrid recognised the historic nature of the occasion with warm congratulations and thoroughly gentlemanly acknowledgement of one of the game's most successful coaches. Raúl, Ruud van Nistelrooy and David Beckham all lined up to shake the Bayern boss by the hand and exchange pleasantries. "That was tremendous," Hitzfeld remarked.

The coach had no time to contemplate the significance of his return during the preceding 90 minutes, as he bobbed up and down from his seat, handing out tactical advice to his senior players. His half-time team talk, delivered with his side seemingly dead and buried at 3-1 down, "had a positive effect on the team," Oliver Kahn reported.

<b>Enjoying his job</b>

"At half-time, I thought to myself: 'What's going on here? They're all sitting there, thinking we're out of the Champions League. This can't be happening!" the coach revealed. "I told the team there was no reason for our heads to go down. We still have three halves to play. We needed to show more courage, make our tackles and attack our opponents earlier."

The Bavarians were a team transformed after the restart, finally claiming their reward through van Bommel on 88 minutes to set up a thrilling return at the Allianz Arena a fortnight on Wednesday. It was the kind of happy ending the General had been hoping for on his return to the continental fray. "It makes up for the stressful life I've come back to," Hitzfeld smiled, "but I'm really enjoying my work."