Confidence or arrogance? Manuel Neuer says Bayern Munich are favorites for the Champions League

Speaking to the media ahead of the club’s Champions League opener vs Inter Milan, Bayern Munich captain Manuel Neuer was bullish about his team’s chances in the upcoming game and the season as a whole. The 36-year-old believes the Bavarians are among the favorites for the title this year.

Last season, Bayern Munich fell disastrously short in Europe, losing to underdogs Villarreal CF in the quarter-finals. Per Neuer, the team has the ambition to do a lot better this time round (via @iMiaSanMia):

This would’ve come across as a sound prediction if this interview were happening two weeks ago. Since then, however, Bayern have suffered two draws in the league — one against Gladbach and one versus Union Berlin. The team’s form is trending downwards. The impending clash versus Simone Inzaghi’s Inter, therefore, will be a massive litmus test for this new-look Bayern side.

Of course, the same can arguably be said about the Nerazzurri themselves, who have fallen to Lazio and AC Milan in recent weeks. However, Neuer is not concerned by the opponent’s lack of form, saying that, “It’s the start of the Champions League season, there are always different games and a different atmosphere. It’s also an opportunity for a fresh start for Inter. We’re just focused on the Champions League and Inter.”

“We know that Inter are a good side and we’ll approach the game in a serious way,” continued the Bayern captain. “We know it won’t be an easy game. We want to get off to a good start in order to underline that we want to advance to the knockout stage.”

Interested in more analysis of the game? Why not check out our podcast? In our latest episode, we previewed the upcoming clash vs Inter Milan and also talked about Bayern’s recent struggles in attack. Listen to it below or at this link.