As the external hype surrounding the rivalry between Millwall and Bayern Munich intensified, it was inevitable that Millwall's players would be affected. After all, they had been the losing side in the previous season, and this made it easier for their mental state to become unbalanced.
On the plane to Munich, Aldrich took an hour to explain the correct football values to the team, making them understand that revenge would not help them go further in the Champions League. To become true champions, they could not rely on hatred to fuel their motivation. Even if their burning anger helped them beat Bayern Munich, it would not benefit the long-term development of the team.
"Think about the first time we played against Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Juventus, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and the others. What were you thinking back then?"
The plane had taken off, and Aldrich was guiding the team's mentality.
Larsson answered, "We wanted to prove that we weren't weaker than them, that we could beat them."
Aldrich nodded in approval. "Exactly. Henrik has voiced our initial mindset, and that mindset is the right one. It's what we need to maintain. We lost because we weren't as strong as they were, and we won to prove that we were stronger. It's that simple. Now, we must become the strongest and remain in that position. So, against every opponent, our mindset must be the same: we get stronger with victories, not because we're guaranteed to win just because we're strong. I want you to remember this. Our trip to Munich isn't about defeating Bayern Munich because we lost to them last year. It's about defeating any enemy standing in our way. That's it."
When the plane landed in Munich, a large group of Millwall fans in Germany arrived at the airport to welcome them. Millwall had established an officially recognized fan organization in Germany two years ago, and their fan base had quickly spread across Europe. With the team's success and stars joining, these seeds had rapidly taken root and grown stronger.
Aldrich led the team to their hotel, where they spent a quiet period preparing. The next day, they had a brief training session at the stadium, and the evening's showdown was fast approaching.
Millwall and Bayern Munich, two of the top contenders for the title, were meeting early in the quarter-finals, causing the attention on the other six matchups to sharply decline.
Media outlets from Europe and across the world had gathered at the Munich Olympic Stadium. Even those without UEFA broadcast rights were on-site, providing live updates on the match.
As night fell and the sky was clear, the Olympic Stadium was packed, with the lights of the arena sparkling. The stage was set for the two main protagonists to make their appearance.
When Aldrich walked confidently out of the players' tunnel, the lights around the stadium flickered, and the number of reporters on the sidelines was noticeably higher than usual. Cameras were snapping more than ever before.
Aldrich stood at the edge of the pitch and surveyed the stadium. It seemed that Bayern's fans had mixed feelings about facing Millwall again.
They were happy because the visitors had been their defeated opponents.
But they were worried because this defeated opponent was clearly stronger than last year!
For them, the word "revenge" was laughable.
Bayern had dominated Europe for years; which top club hadn't they faced? If every defeat led to a grudge, their list of enemies would be endless.
"UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, first leg between Bayern Munich and Millwall, kicks off here at Munich Olympic Stadium. Who would've thought? A year after meeting in the semi-finals, these two teams are facing off in the quarter-finals. Last year, Bayern Munich and Millwall drew 1-1 over two legs, and Bayern advanced through a penalty shootout. But they lost to Manchester United in the final. This year, Millwall seems unstoppable, undefeated in the Premier League, with only a League Cup defeat to Arsenal. A team in great form and steady performance, can they really fall to Bayern Munich again? Bayern Munich has been strong this season as well, a favorite to win the Champions League. It's an evenly matched battle, but after two legs, one team must be eliminated. This is great news for the other ambitious teams in the quarter-finals."
"Bayern Munich's starting lineup: 5-4-1.
Goalkeeper: Kahn.
Defenders: Babbel, Linke, Andersson, Kuffour, Lizarazu.
Midfielders: Salihamidzic, Jeremies, Effenberg, Scholl.
Forward: Elber.
Millwall's starting lineup: 4-3-3.
Goalkeeper: Butt.
Defenders: Schneider, Materazzi, Southgate, Zambrotta.
Midfielders: Makelele, Pirlo, Ronaldinho.
Forwards: Larsson, Henry, Nedvěd.
"We're not sure if the starting lineup we received is correct, but Nedvěd has been placed as the left winger, and the Brazilian Ronaldinho is listed as the central attacking midfielder. If they swapped positions, everything would make sense."
The game is about to start, and Millwall is fortunate enough to have the first kick.
Starting with possession, especially as the away team, gives Millwall the chance to control the game early on and help the whole team find their rhythm.
It's important because each player adjusts to the game at their own pace, and if the opponent gets the first attack in, there's a risk of a mistake if a player hasn't quite settled in yet.
Millwall set up their formation, spreading out and using the width of the pitch to pass the ball around, primarily relying on midfielders for quick exchanges.
Bayern Munich's pressing isn't all that intense, mainly due to their formation.
With Elber as the sole forward, and the wing midfielders Scholl and Salihamidzic alongside Effenberg, Bayern Munich only has a maximum of four players pressing in the attacking third. Once Millwall's full-backs stretch wide to the touchlines, can Bayern really get in their faces?
Not to mention, Effenberg can't afford to push forward too much, fearing he'll lose control of his position in the midfield.
Millwall had a full three minutes during which Bayern Munich didn't even touch the ball, and then, Millwall began their attack.
Pirlo surged forward with the ball, while Effenberg, staying close to Jeremies, began his pressing rhythm. Pirlo fed the ball to Ronaldinho, who was immediately marked by Jeremies. Ronaldinho let the ball roll through his legs, and behind him, Nedved timed his run to receive the pass. Without stopping the ball, Nedved played a quick pass to Ronaldinho. The Brazilian, after letting the ball slip, turned and sprinted toward it, meeting Nedved's delivery to take on Bayern Munich's trio of central defenders.
Bang!
Ronaldinho fired a shot from distance, narrowly missing the top of the crossbar.
"Ronaldinho's long-range shot goes wide, that was close! Bayern Munich's midfield defense seems weak. When Millwall accelerated suddenly, Effenberg and Jeremies managed fine with a 2-on-2 defense, but as soon as Millwall's forwards dropped deeper to link up, they were outnumbered 3-on-2, leaving gaps."
Hitzfeld's expression was stoic, yet a subtle shiver ran through his heart.
Millwall is definitely a step above where they were last season, and it shows most vividly in Pirlo and Ronaldinho. Pirlo's playmaking is nothing short of masterful, while Ronaldinho's ability to seamlessly link up with his teammates makes him even harder to predict.
Last season, it was Ronaldinho's first year as a starter for Millwall, and his dazzling performances were largely due to his individual brilliance. But when opponents figured him out and implemented targeted tactics, his key performances lacked the same magic.
This season, however, he had integrated better into the team. The chemistry with his teammates and his own improvement, particularly his ability to read the game, had taken his threat to the next level. His creativity had become unpredictable, even surpassing Nedvěd, thanks to his superior ball control.
Bayern Munich attacked, with Henry dropping deeper and Ronaldinho following suit, but neither had a specific man-marking task.
Bayern Munich advanced the ball through the fullbacks, and it reached Salihamidzic's feet. Before receiving the pass, he realized he was in an isolated position.
Nedvěd had tracked back to block the advancing Babbel, while Makelele and Pirlo kept close watch on Effenberg, with Jeremies hesitant to move forward since both Ronaldinho and Henry were in his vicinity. If he pressed forward and Millwall countered, the defense would be nearly undefended!
In front of Salihamidzic was Zambrotta. A short pass to a teammate was nearly impossible. His only options were a long ball to Scholl or Elber, but both were tightly covered by Schneider and Materazzi.
He had no choice but to try a solo breakthrough to turn the tide.
Salihamidzic nudged the ball outward, then suddenly cut inside in front of Zambrotta. But Zambrotta was ready for it. He turned swiftly, positioned himself to block Salihamidzic's path, and poked the ball back. It rolled neatly to Southgate's feet.
Millwall had successfully defended.
Southgate took a step forward with the ball, and the moment Salihamidzic made a move to close him down, he immediately passed it to Zambrotta, who was sprinting down the flank.
Zambrotta played a direct pass forward to Nedvěd, who then sent it across to Pirlo with one touch. After a slight adjustment, Pirlo chipped the ball forward.
The ball sailed over Jeremies's head, and Henry, with his back to goal, leapt to head it to the side.
Ronaldinho danced past Henry and Anderson, combining beautifully with Henry in a fluid exchange. Bringing the ball down smoothly on his chest, he drove forward to confront the narrowing defense of Linke and Kuffour.
Approaching the edge of the penalty area, Ronaldinho unleashed a thunderous long-range shot. The strike was a genuine threat, but the in-form Kahn soared through the air to parry it away.
"What a world-class save by Kahn! Ronaldinho was inches away from piercing through his iron wall!"
Hitzfeld stood up, his expression grim.
Bayern Munich's struggles in open play are painfully evident today.
Compared to their clash with Millwall last season, their performance on both ends of the pitch feels like it's taken a noticeable step down—even though they are still regarded as one of Europe's elite teams this season.
In fact, even in last season's showdown, Bayern couldn't score against Millwall in open play—they had to rely on opportunities from set pieces.
From a tactical perspective, Bayern Munich's formation has shifted this season, with one fewer striker compared to last year, but a much stronger focus on wide-area attacks.
While the shape remains a five-man backline, the player roles within it are fundamentally different.
Matthäus had already decided to move to Major League Soccer, with his farewell match in the Champions League group stage.
Anderson could not replace Matthäus. Although their positions on the field looked similar to last season, their roles were entirely different.
One was an all-around player, capable of attacking and defending, while the other was a central defender, purely focused on defense. Anderson was locked into his position and responsibilities, whereas Matthäus had the flexibility to adapt, moving between defensive duties and acting as a second player in attack. Bayern Munich was now lacking that extra attacking support in midfield, and without Matthäus, they lacked someone who could fluidly transition between the sweeper and center-back roles during defense.
No matter how strong outsiders believed Bayern Munich to be, Aldrich was determined to make them submit to Millwall in this match!