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Kampala, Uganda | XINHUA | Bayern Munich’s left-back Alphonso Davies is full of determination when talking about this season’s Champions League campaign.
Ahead of the last-16-round second leg against Premier League side Chelsea on August 8, the 19-year-old Canadian told Xinhua in an interview, “things somehow start from the beginning when we face a confident Chelsea in the re-match.”
The German record Champion isn’t taking the Blues lightly despite their 3-0 lead achieved in the first leg in February.
Davies said Bayern is sufficiently concentrated to make it to the next round despite the long break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We can win this season’s Champions League campaign, but don’t think about the following games. Chelsea is coming first,” the former winger commented. Davies admitted that the 2020 German Champion remains one of the favorites to win this season’s campaign.
The starting point is more or less the same for all participating teams, the Bayern professional said.
The final (last-8 to final) round will be played in a tournament mode from August 12 in the Portuguese capital Lisbon. The final is scheduled for August 23.
Last week, his side returned to action after the national league finished its season on June 26, followed by the German Cup final on July 4. The Bundesliga was the first European league to re-start its interrupted season.
“You can’t tell if it is an advantage to have had a break or not. You can say that the season doesn’t feel like finished for us,” Davies said.
The entire team is determined to add the missing piece to a so-far successful season with the Bavarians taking the national double.
“We didn’t party a lot, far from that. Everyone knew we still need to continue to get the thing done,” he emphasized.
Football has always delivered surprises after first-leg games, he underlined. Therefore “we know we can count on a lead but at the same time are aware we face another tight 90 minutes against the Blues.”
Chelsea’s convincing performance in the 2019/2020 Premier League season’s last games backs up his stance.
The Bundesliga’s rookie of the year said the Champions League stands above all for Bayern’s squad and head-coach Hansi Flick.
The Bayern Youngster, meanwhile, said he loves the position as a left-back and doesn’t think about returning to the left-wing.
“I guess my future is the one of a left-back.”
His convincing appearances as a substitute for David Alaba made him irreplaceable and he has exploded into life this season. Austrian international Alaba has since moved to the central position.
The rookie developed to one of the top acts as he dropped back from his original position as a winger.
Davies said his first days in Bayern’s shirt had been “nerve-wracking.” Everyone around him was constantly playing perfect passes. “Every single one was world-class. I just thought, wow, how can this happen in every training session.”
The high standard in Bayern’s training units helped him to improve and get to a new level.
“I came here to learn, and it can’t surprise anyone that I am still learning,” he added.
He praised Alaba’s support next to the help he received from his coach. “I always listen to their advice. I think that is what a young player should do.” He said he is the new kid on the block, taking a close look at all the stars around him.
“I only knew them from television before I came here. It was breath-taking for me to practice and play with them.”
He said he and Bayern’s newest arrival, former Citizen winger Leroy Sane, could damage opponents due to their speed qualities.
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XINHUA
