Momentum key for wary Van Gaal

Louis van Gaal has urged his FC Bayern München players to build on their Matchday 1 victory and consolidate their two-point lead atop UEFA Champions League Group A when a Juventus outfit unbeaten in all competitions this term arrives at the Fußball Arena München. While the Dutchman is eager for his charges to "make the most of the advantage" they already have, Ciro Ferrara has no such need to inspire his players, saying they know "exactly what the game is all about".

Louis van Gaal, Bayern coach
We won the first game [against Maccabi Haifa FC] but now we have to beat Juventus. It's important to make the most of the advantage we already have. Of course Juve are stronger if Diego plays. [Christian] Poulsen would play in his place, but Diego has more quality. Juve are a top international team, with individual class. They are one of the best teams in Serie A and they have a very good mixture of older players with a lot of experience and younger ones with technical class. It is going to be a tough game, it always is against Italian teams. They are always very well-organised, but Bayern can beat them. You always face ups and downs in your career. We lost against Hamburg, but we are improving and that takes time. I usually train the brains more than the legs of the players and for some of them that is not always easy to understand but in the end they will be more successful.

Ciro Ferrara, Juventus coach
This year the Italian teams have to fight to avoid losing one of our Champions League spots. Against German sides you can always expect very hard games and you have to concentrate until the last second, you have always to fight until the final whistle. If we stay focused and compete physically then we can even win this game – if not, we don't have a chance. Bayern will try to get another three points which would be a great advantage for them in this group, but I want my team to play without fear. The boys know exactly what the game is all about, I really do not have to motivate them. When we watched the draw it was quite special to get Bayern. They have players like Olić, Robben and Ribéry, guys who can decide a game on their own. Furthermore their coach knows exactly what he is doing so you never know what to expect when you face Bayern Munich.

Weekend results
26/09/09 Hamburger SV1-0 Bayern
(Petrić 72)
• Bayern had won five successive fixtures in all competitions prior to defeat in Hamburg. It is the first Bundesliga game Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry have started together for Bayern.

27/09/09 Juventus 1-1 Bologna FC
(Trezeguet 24; Adailton 90)
• David Trezeguet's second strike in as many games looked to have set Juventus on course for their fifth win in six Serie A matches this term until Adailton struck three minutes into added time.

• Back after a thigh problem, Diego played almost an hour while fit-again Alessandro Del Piero made his first appearance of the season as a late substitute.

Team news
• Bayern
Out: Martín Demichelis (ankle), Mark van Bommel (toe), Luca Toni (achilles)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: none
• Ribéry and Robben were rested in training on Tuesday but are expected to play.

• Juventus
Out: Mohamed Sissoko (foot), Fabio Cannavaro (thigh), Tiago (thigh)
Doubtful: Hasan Salihamidžić (ankle, knee)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: none

Background
• This is the fifth encounter between the sides, who met previously in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2004/05 and 2005/06.

• Juventus recorded 1-0 wins home and away against Bayern in 2004/05. The Bianconeri prevailed in Munich on 3 November 2004 through a 90th-minute goal by Del Piero. It was the last time Bayern lost at home in the UEFA Champions League group stage. The teams traded 2-1 home victories when they met the following season.

• The Turin club lost European Champion Clubs' Cup finals against German clubs in 1983 (Hamburger SV 0-1) and, with Ferrara in the team, 1997 (BV Borussia Dortmund 1-3). They defeated Dortmund 6-1 on aggregate to land the UEFA Cup in 1993.

• Juventus midfielder Hasan Salihamidžić spent nine years with Bayern from 1998 to 2007 and was part of their UEFA Champions League-winning team in 2001.

Did you know?
Ferrara was a member of the Juventus team that won on penalties against an AFC Ajax side coached by Van Gaal in the 1996 UEFA Champions League final in Rome.