Bayern fear neither United nor Rooney: Van Gaal

Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal insisted on Monday the Bundesliga giants feared neither Manchester United nor their star striker Wayne Rooney.

The two sides clash in their Champions League quarter-final first leg tie here on Tuesday night and the Dutchman said his side were relishing the chance of measuring themselves against one of the top teams in Europe.

“Wayne Rooney is a super footballer and he’s still very young,” said van Gaal.

“When he was younger he had a vision of the game and it’s something that he has developed. That’s what makes a great player and makes him difficult to play against.

“But I never fear a player and my players hold no fear. We know what he’s worth but I think our team can manage Rooney or any other player.

“Our team has also players of great quality and I don’t think that Alex Ferguson or his players fear us.”

Van Gaal believes that they can match their rivals as they bid for their first European title since 2001.

“Bayern is maybe not yet a top level European club but we can reach this level during a match,” said van Gaal.

“It’s a big game for all of us. We can show all of Europe what we’re worth, we’ve already shown that we’re good against Juventus and Fiorentina but Tuesday we’re playing against the top level of European football, it’s the ultimate challenge for the players and me.”

Van Gaal paid tribute to his United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson and the discipline he has instilled in his team.

“Our team has quality, but I’m sure of one thing: Manchester United play in a very organised and disciplined way, I’m jealous of this discipline,” he said.

“When we manage to achieve this sense of discipline, this respect for the coaches’ instructions, we’ll have taken a big step forward. We’re not there yet.

“There is not a lot of difference between Alex Ferguson and me in our game philosophy and style. But he’s been leading Manchester United for 28 years (sic, actually 23) while I’ve been here eight months.”

Meanwhile, van Gaal said he favoured a system that regulated team budgets as in the United States.

“We need to go towards a system like that in the United States which regulates basketball and American football with fixed budgets so there is more fairness in European football,” he said.

“If all teams have the same budget, there will be more fair play and a level playing pitch for everyone,” said Van Gaal, who rated Bayern as having one of the five biggest budgets in Europe.

“We’re very happy to be in the eight top European clubs, it’s the objective the management gave me, but I want more, my team as well, and we can achieve this on Tuesday against Manchester United.”