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Bayern and Valencia ditch their baggage

Jupp Heynckes says FC Bayern München enter their Group F opener "high on confidence", with the 2012 runners-up and 2001 counterparts Valencia CF putting past defeats behind them.

Jupp Heynckes puts an arm around Xherdan Shaqiri's shoulder in training
Jupp Heynckes puts an arm around Xherdan Shaqiri's shoulder in training ©Getty Images

The beaten 2012 UEFA Champions League finalists host the club they overcame on penalties to win the competition in 2001 in their opening Group F game, but FC Bayern München coach Jupp Heynckes and Valencia CF boss Mauricio Pellegrino are adamant their sides are not carrying any emotional baggage.

Bayern
Coach Jupp Heynckes
We go into tomorrow's game high on confidence. It really seems we have added quality to our squad over the summer and it is good to have alternatives on the bench – that will be important for the rest of the season. We saw that on Saturday, when even without [Mario] Gomez, [David] Alaba, [Franck] Ribéry and [Arjen] Robben we had a strong side.

I will always remember my time in Spain and obviously I have been reading the Spanish newspapers and making a few calls to learn more about Valencia. The club are among the top three in Spain – just remember 2000 and 2001 [when they twice finished UEFA Champions League runners-up]. The team of today is very well organised and physically strong. Their pressing is great and I have a lot of respect for them.

We no longer linger on our final defeat [by Chelsea FC]. This is a new season and we have to concentrate on our group now – everything else is just hypothetical. The past is the past and I do not think about it any more. It is not relevant to talk about the Champions League final in London either. We have to survive the group and then we will see.

Weekend result
Saturday: Bayern 3-1 1. FSV Mainz 05 (Mandžukić 2, Schweinsteiger 13, Kroos 90+2; Szalai 59pen)
Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Badstuber; Luiz Gustavo, Schweinsteiger, Müller, Kroos, Shaqiri (Martínez 76); Mandžukić (Pizarro 89).

• Claudio Pizarro came on as a late substitute against Mainz to equal Zé Roberto and Levan Kobiashvili's record for most Bundesliga appearances by an overseas player. Pizarro is already the highest-scoring overseas player ever with 160 goals.

• Mario Mandžukić, who scored the fastest Bundesliga goal of the season, has been on target in all five of Bayern's competitive games so far.

• It is the 12th time Bayern have started with three wins from their first three Bundesliga matches.

Team news
Heynckes confirmed that Javi Martínez is ready to play, while Franck Ribéry and Arjen Robben are back in training after shaking off muscle problems that ruled them out on Saturday. Lukas Raeder (knee), Mario Gomez (ankle), Diego Contento and David Alaba (both foot) are sidelined.

Valencia
Coach Mauricio Pellegrino
This is the 2012/13 season – we don't think about the 2001 final any more. Bayern have signed a very strong Spanish player in Javi Martínez, but we are not just up against one player – we are facing a strong team. I hope our fans watch us and I hope they will be proud of their team. Anything can happen in football and we hope we will see something special.

We have to avoid showing them too much respect. That would be the biggest mistake we could make. We have to avoid making too many small mistakes. What I expect from my players is that they stay calm and play as well as they can. I know very well how good they are. My boys are ready for the game. We are well prepared and we know our opponents quite well. I am not thinking too much about Bayern. They will be our opponents, but I am concentrating on my team, on what we can do.

Weekend result
Saturday: Valencia 2-1 RC Celta de Vigo (Feghouli 4, Cissokho 50; Cabral 16)
Alves; Barragán, Rami, Víctor Ruíz, Cissokho; Parejo, Tino Costa, Feghouli, Viera (João Periera 78); Jonas (Nelson Valdez 67), Soldado (Ricardo Costa 90).

• Recently appointed Pellegrino enjoyed his first victory of the campaign, with full-back Aly Cissokho scoring the winning goal in only his second appearance for the club since signing from Olympique Lyonnais last month.

Team news
Valencia's 20-man squad includes youth teamers Carlos Delgado and Cristian Portugués. Fernando Gago has missed the cut, having sustained a severe bang to the head on international duty with Argentina.

Match fact
The sides met in the 2001 UEFA Champions League final in Milan, which was all about penalties. Captains Gaizka Mendieta and Stefan Effenberg swapped spot kicks in normal time and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn then denied Pellegrino – now Valencia coach – in the shoot-out to secure a 5-4 Bayern win and a fourth European title.

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