Lizarazu's Lazarus act

By Ben Lyttleton

Bixente Lizarazu is poised to return for FC Bayern München in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie against Real Madrid CF.

Fitness hope
The 34-year-old French international hobbled off at half-time of the first game at the Olympiastadion with a torn thigh muscle, and looked set to miss the return too. However, he now hopes to be on the pitch as the Bundesliga side seek an unlikely win at the Santiago Bernabéu. "I'm on the path to fitness and if all goes to plan, I could be ready for Wednesday's match," Lizarazu told uefa.com.

Madrid let-off
Madrid managed to escape from Munich with their first away draw at Bayern in eight attempts. Bayern were on top for most of the game but only made their pressure count when Roy Makaay headed in a Claudio Pizarro cross after 75 minutes. Eight minutes later Roberto Carlos's free-kick squirmed under Oliver Kahn to gift Madrid a late equaliser.

Disappointing outcome
"Madrid got that equaliser through Kahn's error and that puts them back in the position of favourites," Lizarazu said. "We were disappointed because we could have got a much better result. When you look at the shape of the game we could easily have won 2-0."

'The real Bayern'
But Lizarazu took heart from Bayern's display against the Spanish champions, and insisted that their league position, seven points behind Bundesliga leaders SV Werder Bremen, was misleading. "I was cheered by our performance in the first leg, because people saw the real Bayern. Everybody saw what we're capable of," he said. "Everybody was playing for the team and if we play like that again, we can definitely cause them problems."

Tactical shift
Lizarazu blamed last season's European failure - when Bayern were eliminated from the Champions League without winning a game - and this season's slow progress through the group stages on Bayern's shift in tactics and personnel. "The team has changed quite a bit so you have the problem of adapting to new players and new systems," he explained.

Emphasis on attack
"We have been trying to play more attacking football, but have had a bit of trouble adapting to that," he added. "I think somewhere we lost some of our defensive rigour. We have the talent and we have the players. All it needs is for everyone to pull in the same direction."

Useful advantage
Madrid will be without Roberto Carlos at the Bernabéu after he was banned for improper conduct following his retaliation to a foul by Martin Demichelis. Despite the Brazilian's absence, Madrid are favourites to progress and that suits the visitors. "Everyone will think Madrid should qualify, so that can work in our favour," Lizarazu said.

Telling statistics
Madrid have met four-time European Champion Clubs' Cup winners Bayern in three of the last four years in the Champions League. On each occasion, the winner went on to be crowned European champions. And those statistics, according to Lizarazu, could yet be pointing to a dramatic Bayern victory.

'Our turn'
"It's our turn if you look at the numbers and the patterns, but football is rarely as simple as that," Lizarazu added. "It will be tough to go there and get a result but we've been there and done it before."