Van Gaal plays safe as Munich chases treble
Source: Agencies |
April 23, 2010, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IT may be Dutch winger Arjen Robben's signature season, but Bayern Munich's hopes of a treble-winning year rest equally on coach Louis van Gaal's cool head.
The Dutchman did not hesitate to substitute his countryman minutes after he had scored the only goal in their Champions League semifinal against Lyon on Wednesday.
The winger looked irritated and the 66,000 fans were bewildered as he walked off the pitch in the 85th minute.
Van Gaal on the other hand knew exactly what he was doing.
"In three days we play Borussia Moenchengladbach (in the league) and I have to make sure that we go there with all our players fit," van Gaal told reporters. "So now we have won here, we did not concede a goal and we will go to Gladbach with Robben fit, (Ivica) Olic fit and all my players fit," added the Dutchman, who won the Champions League in 1995 with Ajax Amsterdam.
Croat striker Olic was substituted early in the second half as the Bavarians preserve ammunition for the final stretch of the season in all three competitions.
Van Gaal, in his first season at Bayern, has said that he would leave if he won all three titles, which at the time seemed a fanciful notion. Bayern is now in complete command of the league, has advanced to the German Cup final and is in control of its Champions League fate.
"That was European Cup at its best," glowed club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "We played a fantastic second half and will now travel to Lyon (next week) full of hope."
The Dutchman did not hesitate to substitute his countryman minutes after he had scored the only goal in their Champions League semifinal against Lyon on Wednesday.
The winger looked irritated and the 66,000 fans were bewildered as he walked off the pitch in the 85th minute.
Van Gaal on the other hand knew exactly what he was doing.
"In three days we play Borussia Moenchengladbach (in the league) and I have to make sure that we go there with all our players fit," van Gaal told reporters. "So now we have won here, we did not concede a goal and we will go to Gladbach with Robben fit, (Ivica) Olic fit and all my players fit," added the Dutchman, who won the Champions League in 1995 with Ajax Amsterdam.
Croat striker Olic was substituted early in the second half as the Bavarians preserve ammunition for the final stretch of the season in all three competitions.
Van Gaal, in his first season at Bayern, has said that he would leave if he won all three titles, which at the time seemed a fanciful notion. Bayern is now in complete command of the league, has advanced to the German Cup final and is in control of its Champions League fate.
"That was European Cup at its best," glowed club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "We played a fantastic second half and will now travel to Lyon (next week) full of hope."
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