The Bundesliga titleholders are regarded as one of the finest sides on the planet, but the former Germany international believes they lack a true superstar
Real Madrid are favourites to win the Champions League in 2015 because Bayern Munich don’t have a player to match Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Christoph Metzelder.
The two sides are considered by many to be the outstanding candidates to win the European Cup this season, but the former Germany centre-back believes that his old side have one distinct advantage over the Bavarians.
“Bayern just don’t have a player like Ronaldo,” Metzelder told Kicker, adding that one man in particular who would relish a clash between the two outfits is the Germans’ former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.
“If the two teams play against each other again this season, Guardiola will see it is a personal challenge.”
Madrid saw off Bayern in the semi-final of last season’s competition with a 5-0 aggregate victory, while FCB had beaten Madrid on penalties in the last four in 2011-12 before going on to win the 2013 crown.
And the two sides are expected to be among the front-runners for the title this season, with Bayern facing Shakhtar Donetsk in the last 16 and Real Madrid meeting Schalke.
Metzelder left Madrid for Schalke in 2010 before exiting the professional game three years later. And the 34-year-old insists that a clash with Bayern would present the Blancos with what he calls a “Clash of the Titans” but insists he would be backing a Madrid win.
“They are a bit spectacular at the moment,” he added of Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who recently added the Club World Cup to their list of titles in 2014.