Source: Eurosport
Puyol Rubbishes Talk Of Tiredness
Barcelona captain Carles Puyol insists his team have no excuse not to triumph in the first leg of their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich oon Wednesday.
The Spanish giants are full of confidence as they are sitting pretty at the top of the Primera Division, through to the last eight of the Champions League and in the final of the Copa del Rey.
Their search for an unprecedented treble has led to a build-up of fixtures but Puyol has rubbished talk that there could be tired legs in the squad.
"We're confident in Barca, we're expecting to get a good result and get through to the next round," he said. "We have to be aggressive in attack and defence.
"Motivation and the thought of what you can win give you the strength to continue onwards.
"The team are on a good run and for that reason there are no excuses now."
Puyol also dismissed the suggestion that Barca are favourites to win the tie and admitted it will be a tough match at the Nou Camp.
"The image that we have of Bayern is that of a great team, with great players," he added. "They count on players who can make the difference and for that we have to be very careful.
"We respect them a lot and on the pitch there are never any favourites since at this level everyone is good."
Barca have been boosted by the news that Yaya Toure and Alexander Hleb are fit again after both missed Saturday's 1-0 win at Real Valladolid but Eric Abidal and Gaby Milito remain sidelined.
Bayern have travelled to Barcelona with only two central defenders, including 19-year-old Breno, as Lucio has been forced out of the trip with a groin strain while Daniel van Buyten returned to Belgium this morning on a private matter.
Coach Jurgen Klinsmann has been forced to call upon reserve-team youngster Holger Badstuber to make up the numbers alongside Martin Demichelis and Breno.
The 20-year-old joins the first-team squad for the first time in his career for the imposing trip.
Injuries at the back are the the last thing Klinsmann needs given Barca's potent attack, especially after Bayern's 5-1 humiliation by Wolfsburg at the weekend.
Club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is struggling to remain positive about his side's chances of succeeding.
"We will try and make the impossible possible," he said prior to the team's departure this morning.
"Barca are overwhelming favourites. They have a fantastic team, probably the strongest around at the moment."
Bayern's defeat at the weekend saw them slip four points adrift of the Bundesliga summit and Rummenigge expects to see the right reaction to that game tomorrow night.
"We now certainly expect the team to give everything and seek revenge for the club and fans," he said on the club's website. "The team has got to take on responsibility.
"It is almost a mission impossible, but we know from experience that miracles do happen in football.
"We hope to get a result which can enable us to create a sensation in the second leg."
