Roma coach banking on Menez to sink Bayern

Roma coach Claudio Ranieri will be hoping in-form French winger Jeremy Menez turns on the style again as the Italians go in search of qualification for the Champions League knock-out stages against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

With four wins from four Bayern have already secured their place in the second round and need only a point at the Stadio Olimpico — or even a defeat by a better score than 0-2 – to ensure they top group E.

Roma know a victory could be enough for them to guarantee progression as long as the other group match between FC Basel and CFR Cluj ends in a draw.

And it is man of the moment Menez, who scored in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Udinese in the league, who Ranieri is counting on.

“Menez is a diamond who is finding fluidity. He still has a lot he can improve on but he’s on the right track,” said the coach who believes his team as a whole is heading in the right direction.

“This positive run shows that we were never in crisis but simply going through a bad time.

“We’ve got our heads back up and that’s thanks to the tenacity and desire of the lads.

“We know what we want and where we want to get to, every match is a crucial objective.”

Roma got off to a dreadful start to the season drawing two and losing two of their opening four matches.

They also didn’t start well in the Champions League, losing two of their first three, including an embarrassing 3-1 reverse at home to Basel.

But they are unbeaten in seven league games now having won five of those, lifting them into the top five and seven points off leaders AC Milan.

And Bayern’s Group E domination has actually helped them as their 3-2 win at Basel last time out saw them move three points clear of the Swiss and Romanians Cluj.

In stark contrast to their powerful European form, Bayern have been struggling with domestic matters.

After a poor start in which they lost three of their first seven games, including back-to-back defeats to Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, Bayern have since improved winning three straight at home, although drawing three in a row away.

Even so, they’re down in eighth in the Bundesliga and 14 points off leaders Dortmund.

And coach Louis van Gaal seems more concerned about their ability to retain their title, although he insists things are improving.

“We’ve not lost for nine games now, we’re playing better football, we’re scoring goals, but it doesn?t feel good when you fail to win,” he said after Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen.

“That was another match we could have won. I think we still have a chance of the title, but Dortmund obviously have the best chance now.”

Bayern’s honourary president Franz Beckenbauer was far more damning in his assessment of that last performance, though.

“They made mistakes like in playschool. They are not good enough to win the league like this,” he said.

Bayern’s hopes of victory haven’t been helped either by the news that captain Mark van Bommel will miss the game due to a knee problem.

Van Gaal will be also without Bastian Schweinsteiger, who is suspended, while playmaker Arjen Robben, striker Miroslav Klose, defender Holger Badstuber and striker Ivica Olic are all out injured, although France winger Franck Ribery will play some part.

It will be tough for the Germans but in-form striker Mario Gomez insists they’ll still be looking for the win.

“We need one more point to top the group but if you play for a draw you end up losing,” he said.

“Hence we’ll be going to Rome to try to win and make their lives as hard as possible.”