Real Madrid try to extend perfect start, United face daunting trip to Bayern

MADRID, Sep 19: After a perfect start in the Spanish league with five straight wins, Real Madrid will look to keep its momentum going in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
The record 14-time European champion kicks off its Champions League campaign against newcomer Union Berlin at home. It will be Madrid’s 27th straight appearance in the group stage – and Union Berlin’s first-ever game in the competition.
“The Champions League is a special competition for us, and we are going to treat tomorrow’s game as something special,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Tuesday.
“We want to get off to a good start in the group stage and we are playing at home. Our opponent is a well-organized, strong and solid side. We will need to play at a high intensity.” Madrid is enjoying a winning streak to sit at the top of the Spanish league.
“It’s been a perfect start, five wins from five matches,” said Jude Bellingham, the club’s new signing who has thrived early on.
“It’s important we keep it up. With the support of our fans and the quality of the players here, if we keep going like this, we’ll be on the right path.” Bellingham, who will play his first Champions League game for Madrid after arriving from Borussia Dortmund, scored five goals in the team’s first four league matches and has been a key factor in the team’s hot start.
It will be Madrid’s first match against Union, which qualified by finishing fourth in the Bundesliga for its highest league result. Union is enjoying its third consecutive season in a UEFA competition, and fourth overall.
“They are a new team in the Champions League, but the fact that they are here means they have done very well,” Ancelotti said.
“They are well-organized defensively, they are solid and they play with intensity. We have studied them carefully, and hopefully, we can put in a good performance tomorrow.”
Madrid last failed to reach the group stage back in 1996-97. It has advanced from its group every time since then, having reached at least the semi-finals in the last three seasons.
Wounded United face Bayern
Manchester United might have to summon the spirit of 1999 when it opens its Champions League campaign at old rival Bayern Munich.
United have started the Premier League with three losses in its opening five games and was booed by its own fans after the latest defeat against Brighton on Saturday.
Off-field issues involving Mason Greenwood, Jadon Sancho and Antony have provided unwanted distractions for United manager Erik ten Hag, who insisted after losing to Brighton that the team is not in crisis. Wednesday’s trip to Munich could deal Ten Hag’s players another blow unless he manages to galvanize the team to atone for its poor start. United defeated Bayern in improbable circumstances before. Injury-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær earned United the 1999 Champions League title with a 2-1 win over Bayern in the final.
Bayern, the 11-time defending champion in the Bundesliga, is unbeaten so far this season, though it dropped its first points Saturday when Bayer Leverkusen came from behind to draw 2-2 in Munich.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel is suspended following his sending off in the team’s loss to Manchester City in the quarterfinals last season. Tuchel will be forced to watch the game from the stands.
United will be without right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who was injured after making a short appearance toward the end of Saturday’s loss to Brighton. (PTI)