BERLIN // Carlo Ancelotti says Bayern Munich’s 2-0 win over Ingolstadt, with last-minute goals by Arturo Vidal and Arjen Robben, was the perfect confidence-booster for Wednesday’s Uefa Champions League clash against Arsenal.
Arsenal are the guests at Munich’s Allianz Arena in what Robben has described as Bayern’s “week of truth” after the German league leaders have struggled for form with lacklustre performances in recent weeks.
Vidal broke the deadlock by ghosting in behind the Ingolstadt defence and put his side ahead on 90 minutes. Robben netted just 60 seconds later to seal victory in the Bavaria derby.
“It was an important win for us and gives us a lot of self-confidence for Wednesday,” Bayern manager Ancelotti said.
“We had to give everything, we did give everything and we’re happy with the result.
“We have to show the same character and mentality against Arsenal. That will be the key.”
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Their quest for a fifth straight Bundesliga title this season was helped on Saturday as their main rivals – RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund – lost to leave Bayern seven points clear.
They had over 70 per cent possession on Saturday and deserved the win over second-from-bottom Ingolstadt after Robert Lewandowski hit the crossbar late on and had a first-half effort cleared off the line.
Bayern are not in form, as highlighted by last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Schalke after laboured 2-1 wins at Freiburg and Werder Bremen in January, but chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says there is reason for optimism.
“There is no need to be pessimistic. We have seen the team can step it up at the right moment,” he said.
Bayern's captain Philipp Lahm, who announced on Tuesday that he will retired at the end of the season, was happy with the win: "it's all on the right track. Our body language was better," he said.
Bayern are on a record 15-match winning streak in Europe and know they must take a good result from the first leg in Munich to the return in London on March 7.
“We have to win, ideally keep them to zero, so that we have a bit of a cushion for the second game in London. That would be nice,” Rummenigge said.
Bayern only showed their mettle in the dying stages, when it mattered most, but there is no disguising the lack of tempo, ideas and movement.
“Everyone saw that it was very, very difficult to raise our passing game,” Lahm said. “We knew it would be a tough game, decided by the one-on-ones.
“‘Lewy’ could have put us in the lead in the second half, but when you create a goal so late, you have to be happy.”
Thomas Tuchel admits Borussia Dortmund’s shaky defence is a concern ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash at Benfica after crashing 2-1 at bottom side Darmstadt in the Bundesliga.
Dortmund suffered their fourth league defeat this season on Saturday to leave them fourth in Germany’s top flight, 15 points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
It was far from the ideal preparation for Tuesday’s last 16, first-leg, away match at Benfica as Dortmund failed to take their chances and were too loose at the back.
Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the league’s top scorer with 17 goals, managed just two shots on goal in 90 minutes.
“It was a confirmation of what we have been showing this season,” said Tuchel of Dortmund’s performance. “Darmstadt were much closer to 100 per cent than we were, they deserved the win.
“We were well below our potential, the fact we showed so little of ourselves out on the pitch is bitter enough.”
RESULTS
Friday
■ Mainz 2 Augsburg 0
Saturday
■ Bayer Leverkusen 3 Eintracht Frankfurt 0
■ Ingolstadt 0 Bayern Munich 2
■ Werder Bremen 0 Borussia Monchengladbach 1
■ Darmstadt 2 Borussia Dortmund 1
■ RB Leipzig 0 Hamburg 3
■ Schalke 2 Hertha Berlin 0
FIXTURES
Sunday (times UAE)
■ Wolfsburg v Hoffenheim, 6.30pm
■ Freiburg v Cologne, 8.30pm
* Agence France-Presse
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