Roma vs Bayern Munich preview - Garcia ready for Bayern challenge

Posted Tuesday, October 21, 2014 by PA

Rudi Garcia accepts that anything can and will happen when his Roma side host Bayern Munich in the Italian capital.

The Giallorossi have impressed on their return to the Champions League, claiming a 5-1 victory over CSKA Moscow before holding ambitious Manchester City to a 1-1 draw, but the biggest test in Group E takes the shape of the 24-time German champions on Tuesday night.

Garcia admits Roma, who prepared for the tie with a 3-0 Serie A dismissal of Chievo on Saturday, are the underdogs against Pep Guardiola's star-studded team.

Yet he believes his men have "nothing to lose and everything to gain" as they remain on track to qualify for the last 16.

The Frenchman told asroma.it: "We are the outsiders, we've known that from the beginning.

"We started well with the first two games and so we're in with a shout. We'll have our moments where can exploit them, and we will do so.

"We have to enjoy being out there on that pitch, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

"That might be the key in terms of how we approach the game - we don't want to be spectators, which can happen when you go up against one of the best teams in the world.

"We will do everything we can to give them a tough game and take all three points.

"We want to upset the odds because when the draw was made all the bookmakers predicted we would be heading out.

"But even if we do well against Bayern, we are only halfway through the group stages."

Juan Iturbe is expected to feature after recovering from a knee injury suffered against Juventus but midfielder Seydou Keita is unavailable having damaged his calf while on international duty.

David Alaba has travelled to Rome with his Bayern team-mates after shrugging off a knock to his ankle and Franck Ribery is back in action following a lengthy lay-off with knee trouble.

Second-choice goalkeeper Tom Starke (ankle) remains in Munich, allowing reserve stopper Leopold Zingerle to take a place on the bench while Manuel Neuer starts at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Germany keeper has now avoided conceding for 748 minutes of play with Bayern and was a mere observer as the Bundesliga champions thrashed Werder Bremen 6-0 on Saturday.

"We were first class and it was a perfect warm-up for Roma," he told fcbayern.de.

"Winning at their place (the Olimpico) will be tough and we'll need another strong defensive display."

His club and international team-mate Thomas Muller added: "The outcome will not be clear right from the start.

"It will be on a knife edge.

"We're looking for at least one point. If Bayern can take the maximum of nine points from our first three matches then we'd clearly be the number-one team in the group."