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Bayern Munich needs something special in the UEFA Cup on Thursday to make sure its attempt to win European soccer's biggest consolation prize doesn't falter.
The German powerhouse, which travels to Getafe for the second leg of their quarterfinal showdown, is on a rare foray into the continent's second-tier club competition after failing to qualify for the elite Champions League.
A week after being held to a 1-1 draw in Munich, Bayern has to score at least one goals to avoid a shock elimination.
Fiorentina and PSV Eindhoven are also tied at 1-1, while Zenit St. Petersburg holds a 4-1 lead over Bayer Leverkusen, and Sporting Lisbon is at home against Rangers after a 0-0 draw last week.
Coached by former FC Barcelona and Real Madrid great Michael Laudrup, Getafe has beaten two-time UEFA Cup winner Tottenham and former European champion Benfica on its way to the quarterfinals.
Although it is 12th in the 20-team Spanish standings, Getafe secured a draw at Bayern when Romania defender Cosmin Contra chipped over goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and two defenders on the line in the last minute.
"Getafe is not a bunch of part-time players," Oliver Kahn said ahead of the rematch. "This will be a showdown of equals."
The match will be Kahn's 140th in Europe for Bayern — a tally that includes the 2001 Champions League final win over Valencia — and he is trying to add a second UEFA Cup title to the one he won in 1996.
He and his teammates were encouraged about the prospects of a crucial win when they rallied to beat VfL Bochum 3-1 on Sunday to take a nine-point lead atop the Bundesliga.
"It was a game where we showed not only that we can play well, but that we are also mentally strong," Kahn said.
Getafe warmed up by holding defending Spanish champion FC Barcelona to a 0-0 draw, continuing a turnaround from a poor start to the season.
As little as a scoreless draw would put the unheralded team through to a semifinal against Bayer Leverkusen or Zenit St. Petersburg, and Bayern's weekend exertions could be crucial.
"We didn't want to spend so much energy in this game," Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness said, "but on the other hand, we now have a lot of self confidence."
Quoted from the Herald Tribune International