BERLIN, March 19 (Xinhua) -- A euphoric mood swept through Bayern Munich's locker room after the Bavarians secured their place in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals with a resounding 10-2 aggregate win over Atalanta.
Resounding applause erupted following the professional debuts of the club's young talents, 16-year-old Deniz Ofli and 18-year-old Filip Pavic. "Everyone gave them warm congratulations and was happy for them," midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic reported after the 4-1 second-leg win against the Italian side.
The upcoming quarterfinal tie against Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid on April 7 and 15 has further boosted the Bavarians' spirits, despite a historically unfavorable head-to-head record.
"It's time to improve the statistics," said board member for Sport, Max Eberl, when reminded that Bayern have won only five of their 13 Champions League duels against Real Madrid, who have claimed eight victories.
"We know what to expect, but we are among the favorites this season due to our performances in the national league, the German Cup, and the Champions League," Eberl added.
Chairman Jan-Christian Dreesen framed the encounter as an epic duel, noting a slight advantage as the first leg will be held in Madrid. Coach Vincent Kompany called Real "the best team in the Champions League's history," but refused to name a favorite. "Both have a lot of quality, but our goal is to win the thing," the former Manchester City defender added.
Bayern spearhead Harry Kane praised Real Madrid's Champions League achievements, acknowledging "that they have proven over the years how difficult they can be to play," but noted, "that we have no fear of anyone."
The England captain, who was awarded "Man of the Match" against Atalanta, spoke of high anticipation and expectations of a closely contested tie, and vowed "that we go full gas and stick to our style."
The desire to catch up with Real is on everyone's mind, Eberl said, referring to the recent duel in 2024 when Real advanced with a 4-3 aggregate win. "We all have in mind the 2024 games, and how close it was," the official said.
Bayern's last knockout-stage victory over Real Madrid dates back to 2012, having lost their subsequent four two-legged ties in 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2024, which cemented Real's reputation as Bayern's "Bestia Negra (Black Beast)".
However, Eberl stressed that the cards are being reshuffled, pointing to his team's consistent strong performance over recent months and their high spirits.
Beyond the debuts of Pavic and Ofli, Bayern's optimistic outlook has been further fueled by media reports of first national team call-ups for striker Lennart Karl (18) and goalkeeper Jonas Urbig (22) for Germany's pre-World Cup tests against Switzerland and Ghana. ■
