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» Bayern draw brings Moyes straight back down to earth as United prepare for death by passing in Champions League last eight
Bayern draw brings Moyes straight back down to earth as United prepare for death by passing in Champions League last eight
Written By JAK on Friday, March 21, 2014 | 5:46 PM
David Moyes practically bounded down the touchline after Manchester United's improbable comeback against Olympiacos on Wednesday night.
There was a spring in his step and a beaming smile on his rugged features not seen at any point during a torturous first season at Old Trafford.
As he punched the air in front of the Stretford End it felt big, like a high water mark and perhaps a turning point leading to the dawn of brighter and better things at long, long last.
How quickly football can dash such bold hopes.
Blessed relief: David Moyes was thrilled after Manchester United battled back from two goals down to beat Olympiacos in the Champions League last 16, but his optimism would have been tempered by drawing Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals
Unstoppable: Defending European champions Bayern Munich have gone from strength to strength this season under Pep Guardiola (below)
Forwards: Guardiola has taken an already successful team and made them even better
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund
Paris Saint-Germain vs Chelsea
Manchester United vs Bayern Munich
The first-leg games will be played on April 1 and 2, with the second-leg clashes scheduled for April 8 and 9.
If Moyes was still on a high following Wednesday's thrilling events at Old Trafford, then Friday morning's quarter-final draw will have sent him crashing back down to earth.
Had United got, say, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid or maybe even Paris Saint-Germain as their next continental assignment, there would have been a feeling that they could defy their unfamiliar status as underdogs and progress a little further in Europe.
What Moyes and United most definitely didn't want was to draw Bayern Munich. Oh.
Those three magical minutes in the Nou Camp in 1999 aside, United have a woeful record against the Bavarians.
They have won only one of their four home
matches against Bayern and even in their 3-2 success in the 2009-2010
quarter-finals, they crashed out on away goals.
Blow: Arjen Robben's goal meant Bayern advanced on the away goals rule when the sides met in the 2009-2010 quarter-finals
Arjen Robben fires home the decisive goal as Bayern Munich beat Manchester United on away goals in 2010
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
1998-1999 GROUP STAGE
September 30, 1998 - Bayern 2 Man United 2
December 9, 1998 - Man United 1 Bayern 1
1998-1999 FINAL
May 26, 1999 - Bayern 1 Man United 2
2000-2001 QUARTER-FINALS
April 3, 2001 - Man United 0 Bayern 1
April 18, 2001 - Bayern 2 Man United 1
2001-2002 GROUP STAGE
November 20, 2001 - Bayern 1 Man United 1
March 13, 2002 - Man United 0 Bayern 0
2009-2010 QUARTER-FINALS
March 30, 2010 - Bayern 2 Man United 1
April 7, 2010 - Man United 3 Bayern 2
The history is bad, but the present is worse.
These two old rivals have never been so far apart. Twitter, never forgiving, was quick to point out that the first leg at Old Trafford on April 1 will see the irrepressible Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery directly up against Alexander Buttner.
Buttner has made a mere 21 appearances for United and is completely unproven at this level, but he will be pressed into action at left-back because Patrice Evra is suspended.
It is one of endless mis-matches when the two likely line-ups are compared.
Somehow, Moyes must figure out some ingenious way of causing Bayern's machine-like midfield to malfunction - not once, but twice. It is time for him to step up and show his managerial acumen.
Ribery, Robben, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, Mario Gotze and their free-flowing friends up against Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini, Phil Jones and Rio Ferdinand. Could get messy.
This is, by popular consensus, the worst United midfield in a generation and there is a real danger they will be exposed to the point of humiliation by Europe's best team.
Team to beat: Bayern lifted the European Cup last season, beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the final at Wembley
Salute to excellence: Bastian Schweinsteiger (left) celebrates with Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery after one of Bayern's goals against Arsenal
Sharp-shooter: Thomas Muller will be aiming to add to his goal tally for the season against United's weak defence
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