Flick sees advantage in revamped Champions League for treble-chasing Bayern

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick believes a revamped Champions League format could be an ‘advantage’ for his side, who are still in the hunt for the treble this season.

The Bavarian giants are just one win from an eighth straight Bundesliga title and Flick can win the German league in his first season if they beat Werder Bremen away on Tuesday.

Bayern could repeat their 2013 treble having also reached the German Cup final on July 4, when they face Bayer Leverkusen in Berlin, and they are also well placed in Europe.

Flick’s team hammered Chelsea 3-0 in London in the last 16, first-leg of the Champions League before matches ground to a halt in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

On Wednesday, European football’s governing body UEFA is expected to announce a special format for the remaining Champions League games.

The knock-out stages are set to be played in Lisbon this August and decided by single games, rather than home and away legs. 

“It’s clear that when there’s only one match, it’s not the same as two legs,” said Flick on Monday.

“But I’m very familiar with a tournament mode,” he added having been Joachim Loew’s assistant coach when Germany won the 2014 World Cup title in Brazil under a similar format.

“That’s why I think we can do well. Form on the day will be decisive,” he added. Bayern have won all of their last 13 games.

There could be a month’s break between the season finishing in Germany at the start of July and the Champions League finals in August, but Flick sees positives in a potential delay.

“The break could be an advantage,” he said.

“One or two players will be back again from injury, who could also play a role for us.

“Fundamentally, we have the quality in our training sessions, which is decisive, but we will take it step for step.

“We’ve been training non-stop since January.

“You don’t lose much in a 10 to 12-day break and then we can get back on track.”