ITALY: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - AC Milan and Bayern prepare to face each other in the first leg of Champions League quarter finals press conference by Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld

Bayern are confident they can defeat AC Milan, in the first leg of Champions League quarter finals, coach Ottmar Hitzfeld told to a news conference in Milan on Monday (April 2). "AC Milan was not able to show in their national league the supremacy on the pitch that we have proved in Germany". Hitzfeld said. Milan and Bayern faced each other also in past season Champions League, with Milan winning 5-2 on aggregate. But this season sees Milan quite far from the top of the standings in Italian Serie A, while Bayern is ranked third still hoping to grasp the title in the last run. "We know we are strong, we know the strong points and the weaknesses of the other team, we have come here to win and to play very good football", said Bayern striker Roy Makaay. Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti should have all his players back for the game, which makes him confident to carry on in this year's tournament. The six-times European champions, who have failed to reach the last fouronly once in the past four seasons, have had an uneven season. Though they lie fifth in Serie A, 35 points off the lead, Milan are only oneof last season's Champions League quarter-finalists to reach the last eight this time round.

ITN Source | April 3, 2007

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