Bayern under pressure to win

BAYERN MUNICH have come under intense pressure to lift the UEFA Cup tonight after seeing their German league chances shattered at the weekend.

Bayern, who spent millions to assemble a team of stars, cannot afford to miss out against French aces Bordeaux days after falling 2-1 at Schalke to allow Dortmund to run away with the Bundesliga title on Saturday.

They moved within touching distance to their first European title for 20 years with a 2-0 win on home soil in the first leg, but are not taking anything for granted, aware that Bordeaux knocked out mighty AC Milan in the quarter-finals with a 3-0 home win after losing the first leg 2-0.

"It will certainly not be as easy as it seems," said Bayern chairman Franz Beckenbauer, who controversially sacked coach Otto Rehagel to put himself in charge of the team a couple of weeks ago.

"We were lucky to win 2-0," he added, aware that without brilliant saves from goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, Bordeaux would have scored at least one valuable away goal.

Beckenbauer also knows that Bordeaux's most dangerous weapons - striker Christophe Dugarry and inspired attacking midfielder Zinedine Zidane - will be back in action after missing the first leg through suspension.

"We will go for it," warned Bordeaux trainer Gernot Rohr, himself a former Bayern player. "After the first leg against Milan, we had little hope but this time it will be different. We know we can make it."

Bordeaux themselves have been through a tough season in the domestic league and had to wait for a 2-2 draw at home to Paris St Germain on Saturday to be certain to avoid relegation.