Jupp Heynckes: "I don't have a favourite but I'm feeling good"
The Bayern Munich coach said his team is in "similar form to 2013", when they won the treble
Bayern Munich Jupp Heynckes did not want to talk about favourites ahead of his side's Champions League semi-final first leg against Real Madrid although he said his team "are in similar form to 2013", the year when his side won a triple of the Bundesliga, German Cup and the Champions League.
REAL MEMORIES
"The game will be a pleasure to watch for football fans, the two teams play attractive football. I don't have a favourite but I'm feeling good," said the coach.
Heynckes coached Real Madrid in the 1997/98 season and returned them to European glory by winning the Champions League in an otherwise disappointing campaign which led to him being sacked a week after beating Juventus in the 1998 final in Amsterdam.
"I really live in the here and now. I had a successful playing career and as coach. I never looked back, I never watched games when I was a player, nor the wins in the champions League in 1998 or 2013.
"I have many memories in my head from the Amsterdam Arena against Juve with Zinedine Zidane, Inzaghi, Deschamps and it was a nervous finale with five minutes of injury time. But it was so important, after 32 years Real Madrid won it again. Now they are here again."
CRISTIANO RONALDO AND Zidane
The German coach praised Cristiano Ronaldo but also had some words for his own striker Robert Lewandowski.
"I respect Cristiano. He has had a unique career. But the Champions League is won by the best team. We have Lewandowski, a striker who has scored 39 goals this season."
Heynckes also spoke about Real coach Zinedine Zidane.
"I played against great coaches like Sacchi, Cruyff, Marcello Lippi, Happel and Weissweiller. They were all fanastic coaches. But I was also always an admirer of Zizou both as player and coach," he added.
"I like how Real play under him and how calm he is on the sidelines. That shows that he is not presenting himself for the caemras and the media but thast he follows what is happening over 90 minutes. He is a role model coach."
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