Guardiola wary Bayern out to prove themselves

QUARTER-FINALS: Venue:Camp Nou Kick-off:Tonight, 7.45pm On TV: Setanta Ireland, Sky Sports 3

BARCELONA might like to think that a Bayern Munich side smarting from a 5-1 Bundesliga humiliation to VfL Wolfsburg at the weekend will pose no threat to their Champions League ambitions.

Coach Pep Guardiola, however, believes such a result is dangerous as his team prepare to meet the German champions in the first leg of their quarter-final at Camp Nou this evening.

“League form has nothing to do with the Champions League, but in my opinion it is the worst possible result for us,” Guardiola said.

“Bayern have won the European Cup four times and have won their domestic league many times, and it is now sure they will arrive with even greater motivation.”

The Primera Liga leaders resumed their push for honours on three fronts with a 1-0 win at Real Valladolid on Saturday, when Guardiola got away with resting Thierry Henry, and using Lionel Messi and Daniel Alves as substitutes.

Guardiola has a doubt over the fitness of midfielder Yaya Toure, who is due to return after a thigh muscle tear but captain Carles Puyol and midfielder Andres Iniesta are fit again after injury lay-offs.

Bayern coach Jurgen Klinsmann has Hamit Altintop back from injury while striker Luca Toni played for the first time in the defeat at Wolfsburg after a heel injury.

But the Germans will be without striker Miroslav Klose, out for several more weeks after surgery, and central defender Lucio, who sustained a thigh injury on Saturday.

“We are not afraid of Barcelona,” said Klinsmann. The players know that the whole world will be watching and they will want to show what they can do.”