London - Arabstoday
Bayern Munich star Bastian Schweinsteiger has promised the Bavarians will score at Real Madrid in Wednesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg as they bid to realise the dream of a home final. Bayern travel to Real Madrid with a slender 2-1 advantage from the first leg, played last Tuesday at Munich's Allianz Arena, which will also host the final on 19 May, and Schweinsteiger, who is back after an ankle injury, says they will score. "I assume we will score a goal in Madrid. And we will," said Schweinsteiger ahead of the match at Real's Santiago Bernabeu stadium. "The chance to reach the final in our own stadium is motivation enough for us, but their stadium, with so many spectators and emotions, is sure to influence the game. "In the first 20 minutes, it will be very intense, that is when we have to hold our composure and not concede a goal. A game like this is the highlight of the season, this is what you work hard the whole season for and the chance to play in a game like this motivated me through my injury." Bayern forward Mario Gomez scored the crucial 90th-minute winner in Munich to give his side a second-leg advantage and Real coach Jose Mourinho says games like this are what being part of football is all about. Real's 2-1 El Clasico win at arch-rivals Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday keeps them on course to win the title, but Mourinho knows nothing is decided yet. "We can win two titles, one or none. This is the excitement of football that turns my hair grey," joked the Portuguese coach, who won the 2010 UEFA Champions League title at the Bernabeu as Inter Milan coach. "I see my players excited about this semi-final like my Inter players were two years ago before the semi-final against Barcelona. They just want to win it. Bayern are a great team, the coach is good and they have the right to think they are going to play the final. I also know what Bayern want to do. If they don't score, they will be out and I think they will score." Heynckes confident in Bayern Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, who coached Real to the 1998 UEFA Champions League title, said Wednesday night's game will showcase European football. "On Wednesday night, we will witness the creme de la creme of football games," he said. "In terms of tradition, both teams are fantastic and for that reason it will be very even. "If we think about what Real Madrid did in El Clasico at the weekend, that says an awful lot. Tomorrow might be even more difficult than we had envisaged because of what we saw on Saturday in Barcelona. I know the stadium from my time here and am aware the atmosphere will be very special. "I have positive memories from here. It was very difficult to be coach of Madrid back then, just as I am sure it is today. I realised after I won the Champions League here just how much of an obsession it was for everyone involved with Madrid and all of their fans. Madrid need to score but we know we are also capable of doing so at any moment. "We will see how things develop during the 90 minutes and - if it goes that far - into extra time. Madrid have great attacking potential, but so do my team."