Bayern aim for Champions League semis to 'keep our season alive'

Bayern's Harry Kane attends a press conference ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final, second leg soccer match against Arsenal. Sven Hoppe/dpa

Manuel Neuer and Leroy Sané are fit to play when Bayern Munich aim to "keep our season alive" by reaching the Champions League semi-finals with victory against Arsenal on Wednesday.

The two sides drew 2-2 in the first leg quarter-final last week in London at the then Premier League leaders, and the Champions League is Bayern's hope to avoid a first season without a trophy since 2012.

"We have big chance at home and want to keep our season alive," striker Harry Kane told reporters on Tuesday.

"If we can take the step only a few games are missing to make it to the final at Wembley," the England captain added, looking ahead at the June 1 decider.

"The atmosphere at our home will be fantastic. We have full confidence in ourselves that we can be successful tomorrow. We want to achieve something big. Personally, I want to help the team and score goals."

Kane is Bundesliga top scorer with 32 goals and also found the net last week to raise his tally against the Gunners to 14 goals, the other 13 coming during his time at Tottenham Hotspur.

He admitted that the Bundesliga season, where Bayer Leverkusen have ended Bayern's run after 11 straight titles, was "disappointing" but sees experience on his team's side on Wednesday against Arsenal whose domestic title bid took a hit in a 2-0 home defeat against Aston Villa.

"We've been better in the Champions League this season than in the Bundesliga. We have a lot of experience in the team with players who have played big matches," he said.

Coach Thomas Tuchel agreed, saying: "We have a slight advantage when you look at our experience in this competition. But to turn it into a real advantage, you also need a top performance. We're ready to give it everything we've got.

"We'll need passion and the same tactical discipline as in the first leg" in order to avoid a fourth straight quarter-final exit, he said.

Tuchel said that goalkeeper Neuer and winger Sané are fit to play, with Sané once again to fight through the pain barrier, after they missed Saturday's 2-0 league win over Cologne.

The only remaining question mark is the left back position where either Raphael Guerreiro or Noussair Mazraoui are to stop Arsenal top forward Bukayo Saka.

The winner of the tie meets title holders Manchester City or record winners Real in the semi-finals, which would be another big hurdle towards a possible seventh title in the elite event for Bayern.

But club president Herbert Hainer told Tuesday's Müchner Merkur/tz papers the team can go all the way.

"With the form from the first leg against Arsenal I believe the team can do it! We are FC Bayern," Hainer said.

"After the 2-0 win against Cologne the fans in the stadium sang 'European Cup' with the team to get them in the mood - we have to pool all our strengths for the big goal: the semi-finals!

"Of course you always need that little bit of luck in the Champions League. But the fact that we are able to hold our own against the Premier League leaders - the strongest league in the world - shows what is possible when everyone gives their all."

Munich Coach Thomas Tuchel attends a press conference ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final, second leg soccer match against Arsenal. Sven Hoppe/dpa
Munich Coach Thomas Tuchel attends a press conference ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final, second leg soccer match against Arsenal. Sven Hoppe/dpa

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