Bundesliga News

Europe: Champions League
FT
0 - 3
(0 - 0)
Chelsea
FC Bayern
S. Gnabry (51), S. Gnabry (54), R. Lewandowski (76)

Ottmar Hitzfeld has faith in Bayern coach Hansi Flick ahead of Chelsea clash

By Rune Gjerulff   @runegjerulff

Ottmar Hitzfeld doesn't feel Bayern München coach Hansi Flick lacks the experience needed to do well in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Ottmar Hitzfeld.
Ottmar Hitzfeld.Photo: Biso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
For the first time in his coaching career, Hansi Flick will be leading a team into the knockout stages of the Champions League when his Bayern München side face Chelsea away from home in the first leg of the round of 16 on Tuesday.


But even though Flick hasn't been in this situation before, Ottmar Hitzfeld is confident that the 55-year-old can deal with the task.

As Hitzfeld points out, Flick has plenty of experience from his time as a player and as an assistant for Germany coach Joachim Löw.

Additionally, the former Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund coach believes it may be an advantage for Flick that he doesn't have a big name.

"It's a great challenge for him and a huge opportunity to be able to participate with FC Bayern in this competition," Hitzfeld said in an interview with Kicker and added:

"It's a great advantage for Flick that he used to play at a high international level. He carries the Bayern mentality inside him. And he is familiar with the atmosphere at knockout games from his time as an assistant in the national team that even saw him experience the World Cup final in 2014.

"It's also an advantage for him that the expectations aren't as high as they would be if he had a big name," Hitzfeld said.


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