Vogel urges Basel to avoid Bayern trap

FC Bayern München have won just one of their four away games in 2012, but FC Basel 1893 coach Heiko Vogel is reading nothing into that as he prepares his side for the first leg of their round of 16 tie. The UEFA Champions League always brings the best out of the German giants – even more so with the final on home turf in May. Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes may have one eye on that, but his immediate aim is to use Wednesday evening as a springboard for the remainder of the season.

Basel
Coach Heiko Vogel
We can go into the game with the necessary relaxation and focus. We are really looking forward to this special match. It is the last 16 of the Champions League and we are up against Bayern, a famous European club. We have to concentrate and that is not possible when you are tense. There will be no nerves; we will be positive.

Despite their draw on Saturday against Freiburg we have no reason to believe that Bayern will be anything other than the strong side that we have come expect. That was the Bundesliga; this is the Champions League and the final is in Munich, which will certainly be a further boost to their motivation.

Weekend result
Thursday: BSC Young Boys 2–2 Basel (Spycher 32, Costanzo 76; Streller 71, Stocker 90)
Sommer; Steinhöfer, Ábraham, Dragović, Park; Shaqiri, Huggel (Yapi 65), G Xhaka, F Frei (Stocker 65); A Frei (Cabral 90+2), Streller

• Valentin Stocker's first goal of the season earned Basel a third successive draw, extending their unbeaten run to 13 matches. They have won nine and drawn four since their 2-0 defeat by SL Benfica on 18 October.

Team news
Gilles Yapi (knee) and Stocker (thigh) returned to competitive action against Young Boys, while Kay Voser is back in training having as he recovers from an ankle injury that has kept him out since mid-September. Scott Chipperfield and Philipp Degen are unavailable with thigh injuries.

Bayern
Coach Jupp Heynckes
It is no coincidence Basel are in the last 16. Beforehand, maybe you would have said that Basel would finish third [in their group], but they exceeded themselves with a great attitude and good football, condemning Manchester United to a place in the Europa League – that should be a warning to us.

Nevertheless, we came through our group so dominantly that we were able to play the last game at Manchester City with players who had not played too much until then. We are very optimistic, though we know it will be tough and that opponents raise their game against Bayern.

We have to admit that we have stumbled since the turn of the year. However, we have got to come to terms with that, focus on tomorrow's task and get back to playing confident, fluid football. It is important we all pull in same direction – the board, the coach and, of course, the team.

Weekend result
Saturday: SC Freiburg 0-0 FC Bayern
Neuer; Rafinha (Robben 46), Boateng, Badstuber, Lahm; Luiz Gustavo, Alaba; T Müller, Kroos, Ribéry; Gomez (Olić 73)

• Bayern were held to only their second goalless draw of the season by the side propping up the Bundesliga; the Bavarian giants beat Freiburg 7-0 in the reverse fixture on 10 September.

Team news
Bastian Schweinsteiger is unavailable with ankle ligament damage, while Diego Contento (broken toe) and Daniel Van Buyten (metatarsal) have also been sidelined. Breno is yet to play this season because of a persistent knee problem.

Match fact
Group A winners Bayern have won six of their last nine UEFA Champions League away games, including a 1-0 success at FC Zürich in this season's play-offs.