Tuesday 12 May 2015 09:45, UK
Pep Guardiola says Bayern Munich must be patient when they attempt to overturn a 3-0 deficit in their Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona on Tuesday.
The German champions were left stunned by three moments of brilliance from Lionel Messi in the final 14 minutes of the first leg at the Camp Nou as he scored twice and assisted Neymar for Barca’s third.
Guardiola now faces the prospect of elimination by Spanish opposition in the last four of Europe’s elite competition for the second year running after losing out to Real Madrid last season.
Despite Barca’s three-goal lead, Guardiola insists Bayern must exercise caution in the return leg at the Allianz Arena or they will risk getting caught on the counter-attack by Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
"We are 3-0 behind against a top team, the best team in Europe the last 15-20 years," said Guardiola, who won 14 titles in four years as Barca coach until 2012.
"We have to defend. I know how people in Germany think. But first we have defend, not just sprint forward because Barca have outstanding counter-attacking players.
"We have to focus on our game plan, have more possession of the ball than them and see what we can get out of it."
I know how people in Germany think. But first we have defend, not just sprint forward because Barca have outstanding counter-attacking players.
Bayern drew 0-0 in Ukraine in the last 16 before crushing Shakhtar 7-0 in the return. The Germans then lost 3-1 at Porto before demolishing them 6-1 in Munich to reach the semi-finals.
Guardiola believes those games will give Bayern confidence that they can overturn the deficit.
"We have to be patient and cannot do everything in the first 15-20 minutes," the Spaniard told reporters.
"First we have to play football and see what happens. Maybe we can then score a goal and create an atmosphere in the stadium.
"No one says it will be easy to score goals. We will try to overturn the deficit with control of the game. We came back both against Shakhtar Donetsk and Porto (in earlier rounds)."
Five-time European champions Bayern will be without injured wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery as well as defender David Alaba among others but Guardiola insists they cannot use injuries as an excuse.
"We had to make do two or three months without them," Guardiola said. "Other clubs have more balanced squads at the moment.
“That's the situation but if we are eliminated it won't be because of these players."
