Bayern Munich head coach Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged the qualities of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and striker Erling Braut Haaland ahead of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Etihad Stadium.
The 49-year-old is preparing for his first Champions League game in charge of the German giants and his first European meeting with Guardiola since leading former club Chelsea to a 1-0 win over Man City in the 2021 final.
Tuchel has lost only one of his last four encounters with Guardiola in cup competitions, but with the Citizens entering Tuesday's contest in strong form – winning each of their last eight games in all tournaments – the Bayern boss believes that his side require a "complete performance" to come out on top at the Etihad.
Speaking about Guardiola at a press conference on Friday evening, Tuchel said: "Pep gives his teams their own style. What he does is unique. We'll try to come up with answers in and out of possession. We need a complete performance".
The German has also reflected on "special" meetings with Guardiola in the past, adding: "I was very grateful that I got the opportunity to meet Pep. Michael Reschke organised it back then. It was a great opportunity for me and I'm very grateful that Pep gave me an insight into his way of thinking.
"There was a similar meeting with Jupp Heynckes, which also left an impression on me. You get these special encounters, and Pep was one of them. I learn from his teams, but I'm no fanboy. We'll do everything tomorrow to get a good result and make our mark on the game."
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Bayern are preparing to renew acquaintances with former Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland, who scored five goals in seven meetings against the Bavarian outfit during his two-and-a-half-year stint in Germany.
The Norwegian has since netted a remarkable 43 goals in just 38 games for Man City this season, and Tuchel has discussed the impact of the "unique" striker since his arrival at the Etihad.
"The style of play itself has remained the same (at Man City)," said Tuchel. "They've been playing together for many years.
"They were able to add a unique profile in Haaland. We have to manage it as a team. Perhaps we're playing the role of the underdogs tomorrow, but we also want to influence the game."
Bayern will have to cope without their own top scorer on Tuesday, as Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting – who has scored 17 goals in all tournaments this season – is ruled out after sustaining a knee injury prior to the 1-0 Bundesliga win over Freiburg on Saturday.
Former Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry started as Bayern's central striker against Freiburg in the absence of Choupo-Moting, and Tuchel has suggested that the 27-year-old could be handed another start down the middle against Man City.
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"There's nothing against Serge Gnabry playing as the nine," Tuchel added. "He maybe doesn't have the size, but neither do Thomas Muller nor Sadio Mane.
"We'll also miss Choupo at defensive set pieces. Thomas plays best around a striker. Sadio can also play up front."
Meanwhile, Mathys Tel has returned to training after recovering from a muscle strain, and the 17-year-old forward has travelled to Manchester with the rest of the first-team squad for the clash with their Premier League counterparts.
Lucas Hernandez is another who has returned to training, although Tuesday's game will come too soon for the defender who has only just recovered from a cruciate ligament tear in his right knee that he picked up in November.
Bayern will be hoping to avoid a repeat of their last meeting with Man City at the Etihad, where they suffered a 3-2 defeat in the 2014-15 Champions League group stage when Guardiola was in charge of the Bundesliga side.
BAYERN MUNICH'S 22-MAN SQUAD TO FACE MAN CITY:
Sven Ulreich, Yann Sommer, Johannes Schenk, Dayot Upamecano, Matthijs de Ligt, Benjamin Pavard, Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry, Leon Goretzka, Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman, Sadio Mane, Alphonso Davies, Bouna Sarr, Joao Cancelo, Daley Blind, Thomas Muller, Ryan Gravenberch, Mathys Tel, Noussair Mazraoui, Jamal Musiala, Josip Stanisic
Oliver Thomas
