Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is backing Bayern Munich to finish off Olympique Marseille in Tuesday's quarter-final, second-leg to reach the last four of the Champions League.
Schweinsteiger is suspended for the return match at Munich's Allianz Arena after picking up his third yellow card during last Wednesday's 2-0 win in France which was secured by goals from Arjen Robben and Mario Gomez.
Schweinsteiger says Munich are flying high after winning their last seven games and must finish off the French.
"At the moment, there's total desire in the team, and all credit for that," he said after Bayern's 1-0 win at Nuremberg on Saturday that left them just three points behind leaders Dortmund in the German league.
"We have to make the most of our good position in the Champions League on Tuesday thanks to victory in Marseille."
Munich hosts the Champions League final on May 19 and Bayern's fans are dreaming of winning the European title on home soil, but, providing they see off Marseille, Real Madrid are their likely semi-final opponents.
While Marseille are competing at this stage for the first time in 19 years, four-time European champions Bayern are contesting their fourth quarter-final in six years and it showed in the first leg.
"You could say experience was the difference," said Marseille midfielder Alou Diarra, whose first-half booking means he will also miss the return leg.
The Ligue 1 outfit have failed to win any of their last nine games and confidence is low.
Without a domestic fixture last weekend, Didier Deschamps' men will have had six days to recover before the sequel in Munich and nobody in the camp is throwing in the towel.
"We have nothing left to lose," Diarra added.
"It's not mission impossible. We scored three in Dortmund in the group stage.
"Bayern drop very few points at home so it will take a big performance, but we know we have the ability to cause them problems."
Bayern's former Marseille midfielder Franck Ribery says Munich must keep their discipline to see off his ex-club.
"We still have the return at home, although obviously, we're in a good position now," said Ribery.
"We're keeping it very tight at the moment, we're very disciplined, aggressive, and hard-working. It's going well and we have to keep it up."
Deschamps admitted his team have the slimmest of chances.
"We have a chance, but it's miniscule," he said. "To lose the first leg 2-0 certainly doesn't put us in the box seat.
"We need to bounce back. We will do our best to get the best possible result, knowing that Bayern are very good at home."
Source: AFP
