Struggling Bayern in need of a boost

Louis van Gaal is still retaining hope that his FC Bayern München team can qualify from UEFA Champions League Group A despite the lack of confidence he acknowledges is affecting his squad. To still be in with a chance come full time on Matchday 5, Bayern must achieve a better result against Maccabi Haifa FC than second-placed Juventus gain at FC Girondins de Bordeaux. Van Gaal's opposite number Elisha Levi is taking heart from recent displays against Juventus and Bordeaux and is optimistic the Israeli titleholders can register their first points of the section.

Louis van Gaal, Bayern coach
It's not in our hands any longer, but it's still possible to go through to the knockout phase. We will focus on our game, not on Bordeaux against Juventus. Haifa have a good team and we will have to concentrate to beat them. They are technically very strong, are enjoying a good run and aren't under any pressure. My team is not very confident these days, so I have to talk a lot with the players – I am doing a lot of psychological work. We have to work together as a team to be successful again. Our fans are unhappy and I can understand them. The criticism is very normal. I'm trying to focus on my players and our game now.

Elisha Levi, Haifa coach
We are very well prepared, mentally and physically. We will concentrate on ourselves. We have shown against Juventus and Bordeaux that we can create chances and we know anything is possible in Munich. We haven't been very lucky until now, but we should not feel pressure because of this. We trust in our ability. Of course we win and we lose as a team but we are happy now that our best players are back. We know how strong Bayern are. We are doing everything to prepare in the best possible way. We are aware of Bayern's problems but the match-up between the two sides is clear. I think we were worth a few goals in our previous matches. Some extra experience wouldn't have done us any harm and at times we were unlucky. Mentally it didn't affect us as our 100 per cent record in the league proves.

Weekend results
22/11/09 Bayern 1-1Bayer 04 Leverkusen
(Gómez 8; Kiessling 14)

•Bayern have now gone three home games without a win in all competitions, their worst run since a sequence of four draws in November/December 2001.

•The result also extended Bayern's winless run to four matches home and away, their most barren sequence since a similar spell between December 2006 and February 2007.

21/11/09 Maccabi Haifa FC 4-1 Maccabi Ahi Nazareth FC
(Katan 3pen, Dvalishvili 18, Arbeitman 38, Kayal 51; Kiyal 84)

• Haifa extended their 100 per cent start to the Ligat Ha'Al season to ten games as Levi marked his 200th match as a top-flight coach in style.

• Haifa are 22 matches unbeaten in the league since a 1-0 defeat at Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona FC on 28 February.

Team news
Bayern
Out: Franck Ribéry (knee), Luca Toni (groin)
Doubtful: Arjen Robben (knee), Hamit Altıntop (muscular problem)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: none

Haifa
Out: Eyal Golasa (hip), Amir Edri (shoulder), Jhon Jairo Culma (hamstring), Gustavo Boccoli (thigh/groin), Jorge Teixeira (back)
Doubtful:
Suspended: Tiago Dutra
Misses next match if booked: Gustavo Boccoli, Jhon Jairo Culma, Ali Osman

Background
• Bayern go into the match looking for the first home goal of their campaign, having recorded blanks in a stalemate with Juventus and a 2-0 loss to Bordeaux. The visitors have even bigger problems in front of goal – they are the only team of the 32 participating in the group stage yet to find the opposition net.

• Bayern won the teams' first ever encounter on Matchday 1, prevailing 3-0 through goals from Daniel Van Buyten (64) and Thomas Müller (85, 88).

Did you know?
Bayern have made it through to the last 16 in their five most recent attempts. The last time they failed to do so was in 2002/03 when they finished bottom of their group with just two points.

For more information on the match in the official press kit, click here.