Beckenbauer on Bayern's United test

Franz Beckenbauer has seen just about everything in his long life in football but he still shakes his head at the memory of the night of 26 May 1999.

That was the night European glory slipped through the fingers of his beloved FC Bayern München in an unforgettable climax to the UEFA Champions League final with Manchester United FC. Beckenbauer, who was then club president and now fills the role in an honorary capacity, admits he has never witnessed anything comparable to the drama of the Bavarians' late surrender of a trophy already festooned with Bayern's colours to two injury-time goals.

"I have been in football for a very long time, 50-55 years, starting from a trainee up to now, but I have never seen a match like that, where a team was the certain winner and were almost holding the trophy in their hands, and then lost it in injury time," he told UEFA.com. "I have never seen such a dramatic match before. Of course it was disappointing for us, and Manchester United were lucky winners."

Bayern reprise their rivalry with United with a UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie that begins in Munich on Tuesday. Beckenbauer, three times a European champion with Bayern in the 1970s, expects another intriguing contest. "It is always fascinating when Manchester United play Bayern Munich," says Der Kaiser, now 64.

Fascinating but, as Beckenbauer adds, about as tough a draw as Bayern could have got, with the possible exception of holders FC Barcelona. "I was in Barcelona and saw the match against Stuttgart, and Stuttgart didn't have a chance. They were lucky to only lose 4-0, they could easily have lost seven or eight-nil.

"[Barcelona] are very, very strong and then there is Manchester United, but that's the way it is. It's not a request show, it's a competition. You have to play the teams you are drawn against. You have two matches, and of course you can beat Manchester United over two matches, no question, but you need to be in very good shape."

And Beckenbauer is confident that Bayern have now found their groove under Louis van Gaal, who replaced Jupp Heynckes as coach last summer. "I think that they've finally found the way to play, the way the new coach wants it. There have been many changes – Lucio left for Inter, Zé Roberto to Hamburg, and those were two important players, and we needed to fill those positions."

If Bayern are to repeat their quarter-final win over United en route to their 2001 triumph, they will need the attacking pair of Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben at their very best, according to Beckenbauer. Ribéry is fit again after an ankle problem while Robben underlined his importance with a sensational solo goal in last week's German Cup semi-final against FC Schalke 04.

"I think the play of FC Bayern is influenced by whether Ribéry is 100% fit or whether Robben is 100% fit," Beckenbauer says. "Because both of them make a difference, they can decide games. If the two of them are 100% fit, I think we have a good chance against Manchester United."

Beckenbauer is also mindful of contributions elsewhere, and cites the performances of one of the season's surprise successes, the 21-year-old centre-back Holger Badstuber, who had not played a Bundesliga game before the campaign began. He is now established at the heart of Van Gaal's defence. "Badstuber came out of nowhere and plays a big role. Van Gaal wanted to give a few young players their chance to play. For example, [17-year-old David] Alaba, has also been able to play."

After scraping past ACF Fiorentina in the last 16, Bayern's big names and young guns alike now face their biggest test of a season which has also brought a three-way battle at the top of the Bundesliga with Schalke and Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

Beckenbauer is hopeful they can deliver on both fronts. "I think FC Bayern want to be German champions, because it has been two years since they won it. They want to become champions but they want also to go a long way in the Champions League. I think Bayern are realistic enough to know that it is difficult to become German champions, but I still think it's easier to become German champions than to win the Champions League."

This next week will offer a clearer picture of their prospects in the latter competition.