FC Bayern kicks off its new Champions League season on Thursday against Bodø/Glimt. The Munich team is entering the Champions League with high ambitions. Captain Manuel Neuer makes it clear even before the first game: This time, the journey is supposed to lead all the way to the final in Madrid—and, if possible, end there with the trophy.
In recent years, Bayern have come close to the big triumph on several occasions, but in the end, they’ve always fallen short. For Neuer, however, the gap to Europe’s elite is small.
“It’s a matter of nuances. They were evenly matched contests, including last year against Real and PSG. We have the potential,” the 40-year-old explained ahead of the Champions League opener.
Last season, their run ended in the semifinals. The Munich team played two close matches against Paris Saint-Germain but ultimately fell short with a 5–6 aggregate score after 180 minutes.
It is precisely these kinds of experiences that should now help Vincent Kompany’s team take the next step. “Those experiences help us, too. We have the determination to get there again,” Neuer emphasized.
Neuer wants to reach the final in Madrid with Bayern
The captain leaves no doubt about the ambitions of Germany’s record champions. “It’s our big goal to become Champions League winners,” Neuer made clear.
The bitter setbacks of recent years have apparently only increased Bayern’s hunger. Above all, the narrow losses in the knockout rounds are expected to provide extra motivation for their next attempt.
“We’ve experienced bitter defeats, but that’s also an extra shot of motivation for us—we want to play in Madrid next summer.”
The Champions League final will take place on June 5, 2027, at the Metropolitano in Madrid. Until then, however, Munich still has a long way to go. First, they need to successfully navigate the eight matches of the group stage and secure the best possible starting position for the knockout rounds.
The first step is set to take place on Thursday against Bodø/Glimt. After the disappointing 0-0 draw at Schalke, Bayern want to bounce back in front of their home crowd and get off to a winning start in the Champions League.
“The usual suspects”
On the road to Madrid, Neuer expects the familiar European heavyweights to be their biggest rivals.
“It’s the usual suspects—the finalists from recent years. Barcelona also has a strong squad,” explained the Bayern captain.
However, the 40-year-old doesn’t want to establish a clear pecking order at this early stage. “The teams will start to stand out as we head into the knockout rounds. Everyone will have their ups and downs, but I expect it to be the usual suspects.”
Bayern itself aims to play a decisive role among these teams. It’s been several years since their last Champions League triumph. In 2020, the Munich team lifted the trophy in Lisbon.
Now, under Kompany, the next major European title is set to follow. Neuer, at any rate, has made the goal crystal clear: Bayern doesn’t just want to go far—the record champions want to compete for the trophy in Madrid on June 5 and ultimately win it.