Bayern coach Kovac questions: "Will he fight?"

Vienna – The actions of Niko Kovac as FC Bayern coach are probably bad. The UEFA Champions League group match against Benfica Lisbon Kovac will take place on Tuesday night (9 pm), but in any case remains on the Munich bank. A draw against the Portuguese record would be enough for the German champion to reach the round of 16 of the football team.

Keeping Kovac's job in Munich, however, could also mean a home win, which would only be the second of the last seven games, for the debate. The 47-year-old was well beaten the day before the match. Despite the 3: 3 over Düsseldorf this weekend, Kovac hinted that he did not want to fundamentally change his team. "We will certainly not throw everything over the pile," he said before his 20th competitive match as a Bayern coach. "It's not possible, you only have 14 players outside."

Kovac is a "fighter"

Despite clear signals of his expulsion, Kovac wants to continue fighting for the Bayern coaching position. That said the German record coach Monday in Munich, although he did not look very convincing.

Aged 47, he protested: "I am still a fighter, my whole life has been to get through.The word" surrender "," give up "," raise the white flag ", does not exist in my vocabulary and will never exist. "

Due to nine points behind Bayern, Dortmund, league leader, and many serious mistakes in recent matches, Kovac's chances of keeping his lowest level of employment. Nevertheless, it guarantees "when and where and yet always look forward and always fight". When asked if he was worried that the match against Benfica would be the last with Bayern, he replied "No. What should make me negative?"

Bayern with some failures

In addition to the German international Serge Gnabry (adductors), Bayern also misses the wounded Thiago, James Rodriguez and Corentin Tolisso. After a Syndesmoseriss, Kingsley Coman will be back against Benfica. Lisbon guests must win to retain their chance to enter the eliminatory phase. Kovac said: "We are aware that Benfica will have to win tomorrow, everything is possible in 90 minutes and we are prepared for that."

Two hours before Bayern Ajax Amsterdam with ÖFB member Maximilian Wöber can repair the rise of Group E. The Dutch are in a win at the last useless light AEK Athens set in the round of 16.

The neo-real coach Solari under pressure

A second big club is also struggling with a crisis. The rise of Real Madrid under the orders of new coach Santiago Solari was brutally stopped on Saturday. The "Royal" lost 0: 3 to the SD Eibar and is ranked only sixth in the La Liga. "The worst Real Madrid of the season," commented the "well-intentioned" Marca "the appearance.

Just two weeks ago, Solari, who had been appointed interim coach at the end of October, had been officially declared head coach. Four wins followed in the Copa del Rey, the League and the Champions League. But just in the first test since club management expressed confidence, the team embarrbaded an unnamed team from a small town of 27,000 inhabitants located in the Basque Country. Solari was right just after the final whistle: "We just did not live up to it."

In the Champions League, however, the defending champion is doing well and is likely to reach the round of 16 for the 22nd time in a row. The record champion leads with AS Roma (9 each) the G group, but must in the big match in Rome but increase clearly to clarify on Tuesday with the rise of everything. Real won 3-0 in Madrid in the first leg.

Hoffenheim fights for promotion

In Group F, Hoffenheim fights without the injured Austrian Florian Grillitsch for a minimal promotion chance. The Germans ranked third (3 points) need the first victory of CL against Schachtar Donetsk (2) to stay in the race against Manchester City (9) and Olympique de Lyon (6). Coach Julian Nagelsmann once again challenged his team to strengthen his defense. "This must be the goal of protecting Olli, with all that I have," said the 31-year-old goalkeeper Oliver Baumann.

In Group H, Juventus (vs. Valencia) and Manchester United (vs. Young Boys Bern and Thorsten Schick) have been home winners in the last sixteen games.