The Bayern Munich manager, Jupp Heynckes, is not picky about who his side will face in the Champions League semi-finals, after a goalless draw against Sevilla sent the German club through with a 2-1 aggregate victory to keep their hopes of a treble-winning season alive.
Liverpool, Roma or Real Madrid wait in the next round but Heynckes knows Bayern face a tough encounter, regardless of their opposition.
“No coach ever has a preference,” Heynckes said. “Look at what happened to Barcelona. The games will be tight. You saw in Manchester and Rome that anything can happen. You cannot underestimate any team that has qualified for a semi-final.
Cristiano Ronaldo breaks Juventus with added-time penalty for Real Madrid Read more
“Of course we are ambitious and want to reach the final. The semi-final games will be tough – but we have the ambition and the motivation to face up to those challenges.
“Some big teams have gone out. There are always surprises in the Champions League. I think we have a good chance. My players have big ambitions to win.”
Bayern, playing in their seventh successive quarter‑final, never needed to hit top form but were in control throughout with the largely toothless Spanish side only rarely venturing into the box. The German club, who last won the treble in 2013, again under Heynckes, had secured a 2-1 advantage from the first leg in Spain.
Sevilla, who beat Manchester United in the last 16, ended the game with 10 men after the dismissal in stoppage time of Joaquín Correa for a rough challenge. The result meant Sevilla, in the last eight of the European Cup for the first time since their only previous appearance at this stage 60 years ago, still managed to end Heynckes’ 12-game record winning run in the competition.
Bayern eased into another semi-final with a muted goalless draw against Sevilla, who had Joaquin Correa sent off in injury time
A goalless draw against Sevilla on Wednesday night was enough to send Bayern Munich into the Champions League last four with a 2-1 aggregate victory to keep their hopes of a treble-winning season alive.
Bayern, playing in their seventh straight Champions League quarter-final, never needed to hit top form but were in control throughout with the largely toothless Spaniards only rarely venturing into their opponents' box.
The Germans, who last won the treble in 2013, again under coach Jupp Heynckes, had secured a 2-1 advantage from last week's first leg and advanced after having been eliminated by a Spanish team in each of the past four seasons.
Sevilla ended the game with 10 men after the dismissal in stoppage time of Joaquin Correa for a rough challenge on Javi Martinez.
The result, however, meant Sevilla, in the last eight of the European Cup for the first time since their only previous appearance at this stage 60 years ago, still managed to snap Heynckes' 12-game record winning run in the competition.
"Sevilla have a good team and they proved it," Bayern winger Arjen Robben said. "But we had enough chances and we should have scored. Defensively everything has to work in the Champions League and it did for us tonight.
"In the Champions League you always have to bring your top performance and we will need to improve, that's clear."
In a physical first half, Bayern, fresh from securing the Bundesliga title last weekend, were by far the more dangerous team with Robert Lewandowski and Franck Ribery coming close.
Poland forward Lewandowski, who was sporting a swollen eye after some robust defending, also narrowly headed wide four minutes after the restart.
Sevilla at times looked to be lacking a sense of urgency and were badly let down by their final pass, stumbling time and again at the edge of the box and failing to get a shot on target in the entire first half.
"We are a bit upset," said Sevilla captain Sergio Escudero. "We came here, tried, believed in the comeback but it was not to be.
"In the first half, we had chances. Maybe we could have scored and changed the tie. We go home upset."
They did hit the bar with a Correa header on the hour and Ever Banega fired narrowly wide a little later as they upped the pressure briefly in search of the two goals they needed.
As Sevilla ran out of ideas, the match ended with a touch of uproar as Correa was shown a straight red card for a poor and late challenge on Martinez.
Bayern, though, having won 20 of their last 21 Champions League matches at home going into the game, could once again celebrate a familiar last-four ticket with a degree of comfort.
If you are using the app, please click here to view today’s live blog
Bayern Munich hold the advantage as they prepare to host Sevilla in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Allianz Arena.
With victory and two away goals in hand from the first leg triumph at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, the German champions will highly fancy their chances of reaching the semi-finals for the sixth time in seven seasons.
Sevilla are big underdogs as they travel to Germany but have already caused one shock on the road this season after dumping Manchester United out of the last-16 following victory at Old Trafford. Follow all the action here as it happens.
