Thomas Tuchel believes Bayern Munich have the “slight advantage” over Arsenal when it comes to Champions League experience — but concedes that Arsenal’s hunger to win the competition for the first time could also drive them to victory.
The two teams meet at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night, having drawn 2-2 at the Emirates Stadium a week ago.
“I think we have the slight advantage of the experience in our team,” Tuchel told a press conference on Tuesday.
“We have players who’ve won it, we have players who’ve played decisive matches in this competition. But to make it an advantage we have to bring out the very best in us.”
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On the other hand, Tuchel believes Arsenal’s relative inexperience could be decisive. “It can also sometimes be an advantage to not have the experience, to just have the role of a contender, the role of a hunter,” said the former Chelsea manager. “That can also be a theme for Arsenal — to go for it, to be the guys who finally do it after so many years.”
Having missed out on the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen, the Champions League offers Bayern the opportunity to save their season.
Tuchel is taking nothing for granted, but hopes his team’s experience can help get them over the line.
“For us it’s not usual to be in a semi-final,” he argued. “If you see the last (few) years it’s not so easy for us — or anyone. It’s not so easy to overcome this stage, so now the situation is here that we have 90 or 120 minutes or penalties to go, we have this one decisive match to make the next big step in this beautiful competition, and we are determined to bring everything to the table.
“If the experience in our group brings us an extra five percent, we’re happy to bring it to the table. But we have to bring it, nobody will give anything to us — it’s like that in this competition, it’s super tough.”
Manuel Neuer and Leroy Sane are both available for selection, Tuchel revealed, but Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman will miss out. Full-back Alphonso Davies is suspended after picking up a yellow card in the first leg.
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(Michaela Stache/AFP via Getty Images)
