Bundesliga
Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski believes the record champions have no reason to fear Liverpool in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League – just as long as they do their homework.
Bayern travel to the home of the English Premier League leaders on 19 February, with the Reds – coached by former Mainz and Borussia Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp – visiting the Allianz Arena on 13 March.
Beaten finalists last term, Liverpool will fancy their chances of going a step further this year, but Lewandowski has warned them that will not be the case if Bayern fully apply their Mia san Mia ethos
"We know we've been drawn against a very strong team and we've got to prove how good we are, but of course when you play Liverpool – just look at the way they play in the Premier League and how they beat other teams –that we're going to have to be 110 per cent ready," Lewandowski told UEFA.com.
"They're very strong and stable defensively, and up front they have so many good players. They're very fast and the time between when they pick the ball up in defence and when they're already on the attack is so short because they just march forwards and want to score goals, and that's very dangerous.
"I'm really looking forward to [playing at Anfield] and I know that the fans won't want me or Bayern to score, but for me personally, when you play in the kind of atmosphere I expect to face at Anfield, it gives me even more energy and power and it's something special.
"I love being able to play in such a stadium, and of course if you win in the end, it's just the best feeling. But we're Bayern Munich and we know what we've got to do in such an important game."
Liverpool may have appeared in last season's final, but their last title dates back to 2005. Since then, Bayern have won Europe's most coveted club prize once and reached two other finals. Furthermore, they have appeared in the semi-finals of four of the past five editions since lifting the title under Jupp Heynckes in 2013 and this, according to Lewandowski, stands them in good stead to progress.
"In this phase of the Champions League, you only get two games and it does go through the players' minds that we have to be careful at the back and what could happen if we make just one mistake, but we have experience and we've been here before and I hope this time we will be so well prepared that we won't make any mistakes, and then if Liverpool make one, we've got to be ready to turn that into a goal," he said.
"It's going to be a very interesting game, and I hope a very attacking one too, but both teams have very strong defences and so it won't be easy to create opportunities. When one does come along, you've got to be ready to score a goal and I hope we'll be ready."