Boateng faces fitness test for Bayern as Flick sticks to game plan
RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT
VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH BAYERN MUNICH COACH, HANSI FLICK AND DEFENDER, JOSHUA KIMMICH / BAYERN MUNICH TRAINING SESSION
SHOWS: LISBON, PORTUGAL (AUGUST 22, 2020) (UEFA - NO RESALES. NO COMMERCIAL USE. MUST ON-SCREEN COURTESY "©UEFA 2020")
1. BAYERN MUNICH COACH, HANSI FLICK SMILING DURING TRAINING SESSION
2. BAYERN MUNICH DEFENDER, JEROME BOATENG AT TRAINING SESSIONS
3. (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN MUNICH COACH, HANSI FLICK, TALKING ABOUT JEROME BOATENG, SAYING:
"The actual situation is as follows; I have talked to Jerome (Boateng) this morning and he is going to train with us today and as a coach I always wait for the final training session. I talk to my staff; we have a think about how things might work tomorrow. We'll do that also today. Of course, I hope that Jerome will be fit enough and gets through the test today and then once we've held that training session I'm going to hold a meeting with my staff and we're going to debate how to move forward."
4. BAYERN MUNICH PLAYERS JOGGING ON PITCH
5. STRIKER, ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI JOGGING
6. LEWANDOWSKI WITH BALL AT HIS FEET WHILE JOGGING BEFORE PASSING IT TO PHILIPPE COUTINHO
7. AERIAL OF TRAINING IN PROGRESS AT THE ESTADIO DA LUZ
8. STRIKER, THOMAS MUELLER AT TRAINING
9. MUELLER WARMING UP ALONGSIDE TEAM MATES
10. TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS
11. (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN MUNICH COACH, HANSI FLICK, SAYING:
"What's really marked us out has been the fact that we've held this highline. We don't necessarily want to afford too much space to the opposition but of course there is quite a lot of space in behind our defensive line. But what's important is that we can actually press the opposition and when the ball goes into that space in behind, we need to make sure that we cover all that ground. We've watched all the matches against Barcelona and Lyon and if you compare the two of them and of course Paris St Germain have a lot of quality; they're perhaps similar to Barcelona on that score whereas Lyon played in a very direct style. They went straight towards goal if you will. They often played long balls forward into that space in behind. So, it's very important that we're able to cut out those passing lanes, that we don't afford the opposition space to play the ball into. Of course, PSG have a lot of pace in the side. They're a top team with some incredible players and it's a very exciting match. That's said, in our games over the last 10 months we've always tried to impose our style of play. We've always played with a highline against the opposition and ultimately this our guarantee of success so we won't change too much on that score."
12. VARIOUS OF MIDFIELDER, IVAN PERISIC AT TRAINING
13. TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS
14. DEFENDER, JOSHUA KIMMICH TRAINING
15. (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN MUNCH DEFENDER, JOSHUA KIMMICH, SAYING:
"When you play at club level there's no greater honour than the Champions League title and as a child, you're always very happy to watch the Champions League. Unfortunately, it is now happening without fans watching, but it's a huge opportunity that we really want to seize tomorrow night. The previous generation took a number of attempts to actually lift it, we want to do it from the first opportunity. We're going to give everything tomorrow night. The Champions League competition is exceptional and the anthem really is magical when you're out there on the pitch and we really feel that it is something special. It's wonderful to be involved in this competition and at Bayern Munich every year we have the opportunity to go very far in the competition and this season, in my fifth year, we've finally managed to make it to the final, we want to lift the trophy now"
16. LEWANDOWSKI TALKING DURING TRAINING SESSION
17. MIDFIELDER ALPHONSO DAVIES JUGGLING BALL BEFORE PASSING IT TO TEAM MATES
18. MIDFIELDER, THIAGO ALCANTARA AT TRAINING
19. (SOUNDBITE) (German) BAYERN MUNCH DEFENDER, JOSHUA KIMMICH, TALKING ABOUT HANSI FLICK, SAYING:
"Yes, he very quickly managed to get his point across to the team. He really appreciates and rates all the playing squad and the playing staff. So, he has good relationships with everyone. He also has a game plan we are sticking to, but the human side is very good. We are not just players in a system, he really looks at the human being behind the players. We the players feel that and the members of staff as well."
20. VARIOUS OF GOALKEEPER, MANUEL NEUER TRAINING
21. FLICK TALKING TO THIAGO ALCANTARA
22. FORWARD, SERGE GNABRY (LEFT) WARMING UP ALONGSIDE DAVID ALABA AND BOATENG
23. GNABRY WARMING UP
24. GNABRY, ALABA AND BOATENG WARMING UP
25. GNABRY WARMING UP
26. VARIOUS OF DAVIES AT TRAINING
27. PRACTICE GAME IN PROGRESS
28. COUTINHO TAKING PART IN PRACTICE GAME
29. FLICK WATCHING ON DURING TRAINING SESSION
STORY: Bayern Munich central defender Jerome Boateng faces a late fitness test for Sunday's (August 23) Champions League final against Paris St Germain but coach Hansi Flick says whatever the line-up he does not plan to radically change his team's tactics.
Boateng had to go off at halftime with a muscle injury in Wednesday's 3-0 semi-final win over Olympique Lyonnais and Flick said he would be assessed after training later on Saturday (August 22).
Should Boateng not be ready to start then Niklas Sule, who came on for him against Lyon, is the most likely deputy to play alongside David Alaba in the centre of defence.
Bayern's tactic of playing a high defensive line, in order to compress their opponents in their own half, allowed Lyon some opportunities and, with PSG's pacey strike force of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, some commentators have wondered if Flick might need to take a more cautious approach in the final.
But the 55-year-old, who took over at Bayern following the sacking of Niko Kovac in November, suggested that he was unlikely to make a major adjustment.
Bayern Munich defender Joshua Kimmich will be partly tasked with stopping the likes of Neymar and Mbappe and the German international admitted he was relishing the opportunity of playing in the final even though there will be no fans.
Kimmich also praised Flick saying the coach's impact on the team since taking over from Kovac had been very effective.
Bayern have not lost a competitive match since December 7 when they were defeated 2-1 by Borussia Moenchengladbach.
(Production: Tim Hart)
