Former Bayern Munich assistant Hermann Gerland picks his old club to advance over Villarreal

There are likely very few people more familiar with what makes the current crop of Bayern Munich players tick more than former assistant coach Hermann “Tiger” Gerland, who now is on the German national team staff.

Gerland knows his old squad is in a tough spot against Villarreal, but is expecting them to pull through.

“Bayern are better than Villarreal and that’s why they will reach the semi-finals. There’s no doubt for me at all. The 0-1 doesn’t matter. And of course it’s better to play the second leg at home than away,” Gerland told Tz’s Mano Bonke and Philipp Kessler. “They are going to play for the first time again in front of a full house in the Champions League. The team is class. FC Bayern have top class players and they know very well that when something is at stake, they can step up their game and they will do it.”