"You should never underestimate the heart of a champion," said the legendary coach of the NBA club in Houston, Rudy Tomjanovich.
And Thomas Müller's heart is that big.
World champion with Germany, winner of 27 trophies with his club, Bayern, including two Champions Leagues and nine Spanish league titles, the native of Weilheim still has his teeth.
Yet it was believed that his years were behind him not so long ago.
By saying "we", it is notably a question of the German national coach, Joachim Löw, who has not called him since November 2018, like Jerome Boateng or Mats Hummels.
But also from former Bayern manager Niko Kovac, who saw no better in him than a luxury replacement at the start of last season.
Hansi Flick, who won the world title with him in 2014, had the key, the magic formula to get Müller back on track and exploit his immense qualities.
Admittedly, it is neither the fastest, nor the flashiest.
It was never all that.
But what class, what intelligence, what hunger to win… And you had to see him bawling at his comrades last Wednesday, against PSG, to understand that he is the soul of the club with six Champions Leagues and 30 league titles. 'Germany.
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Despite all the goodwill of Müller, and his equalizing goal in the second half, after that of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, the “Recordmeister” bowed to an ultra-efficient PSG (2-3).
“I would sign immediately for the same match, he promised Monday, during a press conference lasting more than 20 minutes.
We shot 31 times on goal (12 on target).
And if we had only been a little more efficient, we could have won.
But we are realistic.
We do not know how this meeting will unfold.
We would be happy to create as many chances as in the first leg.
We learned from this part.
I hope we can do better offensively and defensively. ”
And the man with 100 selections (38 goals) to add: "We are not going to throw ourselves into the attack headlong from the first minute, but if you know our team, our game, you know that we will push to score as soon as possible. "
This is often the key to success in reversing a situation in the European Cup.
"When I was little, we were already talking about FC Hollywood"
Thomas muller
But from the top of 574 matches with FC Bayern (213 goals), Thomas Müller is well placed to know that when it comes to “football, anything can happen.
It will be a question of intensity and of managing risk taking, of making the right decisions.
Experience can obviously help in this kind of situation ... "And experience, Bayern Munich obviously not lacking ... This is the case of Müller, who has to spare in a personal capacity, but not only .
In fact, unlike PSG, a newcomer to the table of the very greats of Europe, the entire Bavarian club is full of them.
Among the things which are in number in Munich, there are also the injured (Lewandowski, Gnabry, Tolisso…) and… the tensions, in particular between Hansi Flick and Hasan Salihamidzic, the sporting director.
“We have a lot of injuries, but we have the feeling that in terms of state of mind and quality on the pitch, we can turn the situation around.
Obviously, a qualification would do the club a lot of good.
But I know you well: it is not because we would eliminate Paris that you would stop asking questions on the subject (smile).
When I was little, we were already talking about FC Hollywood.
But we are not going to let the context take precedence over this match, "promises Müller, as polite as he is speaking to the media, while taking all the same care not to stoke the fire which we feel is about to begin. to set everything ablaze near Munich.
Behind the scenes of the Parisian victory in Munich on video
A qualification would therefore calm, at least for a while, the tensions.
Even if, as Müller reminds us, Bayern is “in a good position in the league.
It is our daily bread and therefore the most important.
We have to be first all the time.
After the first leg against PSG, we were disappointed, it's our fault.
And now we could be eliminated in C1.
In fact, it's always possible in the quarterfinals, with the eight best teams in Europe.
This is obviously not what we want and I would be very disappointed in the event of elimination.
Right now, I'm convinced we'll qualify, but I'm not foolishly arrogant either, and I don't expect it to be easy.
It will be a very close match. ”
"Mbappé, Neymar or Di Maria are players that you cannot control for 90 minutes"
Thomas muller
And the Munich people hope that this will be the case for two reasons, literally and figuratively.
Understand that they are well aware that it will not be necessary to leave as much space as it had to go to Kylian Mbappé.
“With the way we played, he could only have spaces, plague Müller.
If the right pass arrives at the right time, we are in difficulty ... Overall, the way we defend against the Parisian forwards will be important.
But it is not easy.
Mbappé and Neymar are used to staying high on the pitch, they don't really defend but they are always available to exploit counter balls.
This is where you have to make the right decisions, accept a certain level of risk and manage it in the right way.
But in the end, you also need a little luck.
Mbappé, Neymar or (Angel) Di Maria, these are players that you cannot totally control for 90 minutes.
It's the same with our attack, which will always create chances.
In these situations, you just have to complicate things as much as possible and increase the chances that Manuel Neuer will make a save. ”
Remember that if Bayern could / should have scored more than two goals in the first leg, Paris-SG also had more than three opportunities to shake the nets.
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One thing is certain: we should not count on the European and world champions to give up this Tuesday, at the Parc des Princes.
And even less Thomas Müller.
“If you can't go beyond your limits and push yourself, you've gone to the wrong club.
It's our duty !
You don't play for the best German club by chance, ”he swears.
With a leader like that, we can go a long way.
And when said leader turns in addition to 14 goals and 19 assists since the start of the season (39 matches), it's even better.
To see if Joachim Löw will be of this opinion in view of the Euro, this summer, in the four corners of the continent (June 11-July 11).
"We will see in May where we are, what we lack and what we need to be competitive," said the German coach recently.
“I have nothing new to tell you.
All that interests me is the huge match (in Paris), ”Müller eludes.
And that's not bad already.
“We are at a key moment of the season,” he continues.
It's always the same in April-May, that's when the temperature rises a notch. "
It will be very hot on the Parisian meadow, that's for sure.
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