(FIFA.com) Monday 22 February 2016
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One of Tuesday’s two UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first-leg matches is an enticing encounter between reigning Italian and German champions Juventus and Bayern Munich in Turin. The most successful sides in the history of their respective league championships, both clubs are giants of the European game, with fans and pundits alike eagerly awaiting a tie that pits together the runners-up and one of the losing semi-finalists from last season’s competition
No-one will be paying closer attention to the two meetings than former Bosnia midfielder Hasan Salihamidzic, who played for both clubs during his successful career, running out for Bayern between 1998 and 2007 and then spending four years with the Italians.
“It’s a tie between two heavyweights of the European elite,” said a clearly excited Salihamidzic, speaking exclusively to FIFA.com. “They both have huge fanbases, a tremendous amount of history and they generate a lot of emotion too. Juve and Bayern are fantastic clubs and I’m proud to have worn both jerseys.”
Split loyalties
Now 39, Salihamidzic made over 60 appearances for La Vecchia Signora, though the most productive years of his career came in Munich, where he played more than 230 games in a nine-season stay that yielded six league titles, four German Cups, a Champions League trophy and an Intercontinental Cup win, among other successes. The question is, which of his two former employers will he be cheering on in their battle to reach the last eight?
Now 39, Salihamidzic made over 60 appearances for La Vecchia Signora, though the most productive years of his career came in Munich, where he played more than 230 games in a nine-season stay that yielded six league titles, four German Cups, a Champions League trophy and an Intercontinental Cup win, among other successes. The question is, which of his two former employers will he be cheering on in their battle to reach the last eight?
“It’s going to be a difficult tie for me because I played for Bayern for a long time and spent four fantastic years in Turin,” he replied, clearly torn between the two.
Voted Bosnian Player of the Year in 2000 and 2004 and capped 43 times by his country, Salihamidzic earned the respect of both sets of fans and sees many similarities between the two clubs, as he explained: “There’s more to Bayern and Juve than just playing football. They both try to make sure their players feel at home. You could say that they treat like you’re one of the family.”
And just as Bayern do in Germany, Juventus divide footballing opinions in Italy: “People either love Juveor they hate them. No matter where they play, they always have fans supporting them. The stadiums are always full wherever they go. It’s a club tries to create a special atmosphere and everyone has a part to play in it.”
The power of Bayern
The only difference between the clubs, as far as Salihamidzic is concerned, lies in their philosophy, something that he believes will make for two compelling matches. “Some of Bayern's tallest players, like [Jerome] Boateng, [Holger] Badstuber and [Javi] Martinez, are out with injury, which means they might be lacking a little bit of power in the air,” he said. “That could cause them a problem or two, though we know that what they like most of all is to have possession of the ball. I can’t wait to see if Juve can match Bayern, a team that plays at a faster pace.”
The only difference between the clubs, as far as Salihamidzic is concerned, lies in their philosophy, something that he believes will make for two compelling matches. “Some of Bayern's tallest players, like [Jerome] Boateng, [Holger] Badstuber and [Javi] Martinez, are out with injury, which means they might be lacking a little bit of power in the air,” he said. “That could cause them a problem or two, though we know that what they like most of all is to have possession of the ball. I can’t wait to see if Juve can match Bayern, a team that plays at a faster pace.”
He added: “It’ll be interesting to see who is better able to impose their tactics. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the tie goes. I’m sure it’s going to be great to watch because they’re the two best teams in their respective countries.”
Though injury-hit, Bayern will nevertheless travel to Italy on the back of some impressive form. Pep Guardiola’s side have encountered few problems in the Champions League or the German Cup this season and have led the Bundesliga since the start of the season. The Bavarians recorded their latest league win last Saturday, coming from a goal down at half-time to beat Darmstadt 3-1.
A question of enjoyment In contrast, Juventus endured a less smooth start to the campaign, with the squad taking time to adjust to a change in the dugout following four consecutive Serie A titles. “You’d expect that, though Juve have found some form in the last few months.” So much so, in fact, that they now lead Serie A, maintaining their lead last weekend despite a goalless draw with Bologna.
With so little to choose between the teams, Salihamidzic is reluctant to tip a winner: “I’ll just sit down to enjoy the football. I’ll be there to watch both games and I’ll meet up with a lot of old friends, which is another thing I’m excited about.”
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