FC Bayern Munich, News and Rumours – "He’ll provoke him physically and really get under his skin": Will an FCB star become a nightmare for Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior?

Former Bundesliga professional Maik Franz is particularly looking forward to the Champions League quarter-final clash between FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid because of a personal rivalry.

Franz, once a rock-solid defender for clubs including VfL Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, is convinced that Bayern’s full-back Konrad Laimer will make life extremely difficult for Real’s attacking star Vinicius Junior.

"He’ll really give him a hard time," said a downright euphoric Franz on Sport1’s Fantalk. "The way Laimer plays," the 44-year-old emphasised, "is exactly how you need to defend against Vinicius’ attacking skills." "He’ll be right up his arse, always hanging on his heels. He’ll be provoking him physically the whole time and really getting under his skin. I’m really looking forward to this duel. This elegant, fast Vinicius – and then comes this heel-biter, this piranha, and eats him alive."

Real had prevailed against Manchester City in the round of 16. Following a 3-0 win in the first leg, the Royals also won the return leg in England 2-1 on Tuesday, with Vinicius scoring a brace. "Let’s get them!", the 25-year-old declared immediately after the match, issuing a challenge to Bayern.

Even before Wednesday’s second-leg clash against Atalanta Bergamo, FCB were virtually certain to be Real’s quarter-final opponents, as the German record champions had won the first leg away 6-1. The second leg also went comfortably to the Munich side (4-1), with striker Harry Kane telling DAZN afterwards, with an eye on the challenge against Madrid: “We fear no one.”

The first leg in the Spanish capital takes place on 7 April, with Real travelling to Munich for the return leg eight days later. The winner will face another giant in the semi-finals, either Paris Saint-Germain or Liverpool FC.

Bayern Munich’s rising star Lennart Karl was “disturbed” during a tutoring session by national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, who was trying to inform him of his first call-up to the German senior national team.

“I got hold of Lennart fairly quickly. He was at his tutoring session, which is why he didn’t answer straight away,” Nagelsmann revealed at Thursday’s press conference. With a wink, he added: “But that makes me happy. Otherwise, I would have given him a telling-off if he’d answered straight away. What the teacher says is more important than what the national coach says.”

Nagelsmann went on to say that he then got hold of Karl, who is currently studying for his secondary school leaving certificate, once the tutoring session had finished. "He was delighted. On the one hand, because the tutoring was over, and on the other, because he’s in the squad. That was two reasons to be happy."

Karl has been a regular in Bayern’s first team since last summer, with the 18-year-old providing particular highlights in the autumn. Although he is not yet a first-choice player at FCB, he features regularly and earned his first call-up to the DFB squad through strong performances. This also boosts Karl’s chances of being included in the German squad for the World Cup this summer.

The attacking midfielder could make his debut on 27 March, when Germany face Switzerland in Basel in the first of two upcoming friendlies. Three days later, the DFB squad will face Ghana in Stuttgart.

Julian Nagelsmann is hoping for a swift and full recovery for his key attacking player, Jamal Musiala – in Munich. “Vincent Kompany and I share the same priority: that the player first gets fit and healthy at Bayern Munich, that he plays plenty of matches in the run-up to the World Cup, so that he can then even be considered for our squad at the World Cup,” Nagelsmann said on Thursday in Frankfurt am Main.

In consultation with Bayern coach Kompany, Nagelsmann had decided not to call up Musiala for the international matches in Switzerland and against Ghana. "He’s having a slight reaction in his ankle again, which is relatively normal," reported Nagelsmann: "Given that he’s having problems, I decided against taking him and letting him dribble for two minutes in pain. That achieves nothing."

(SID)

Former world-class striker Luca Toni has been full of praise for one of his successors at FC Bayern Munich. Harry Kane has particularly impressed the Italian.

Following Bayern’s 4-1 victory in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Atalanta Bergamo on Wednesday, in which Kane scored two goals, Toni sent a message to the English striker via a reporter on Amazon Prime Video Italia: “Please tell Harry that I’m in love with him as a footballer. Because he is one of the few genuine number nines left in the world – with all the false nines running about. And he is the best in the world in his position."

Kane was clearly flattered by the effusive praise and returned words of respect to Toni: "It’s an honour to hear that from you, especially from a top striker like yourself. Thank you," said the 32-year-old, who has now scored 132 goals in 135 appearances for FCB.

Toni, who retired in 2016, wore the Bayern shirt from 2007 to 2010. During that time, the 2006 World Cup winner from Italy scored 58 goals in 89 games.

Meanwhile, Kane and Bayern thrashed Atalanta 10-2 on aggregate over the two legs. The German champions will now face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.