(Manchester United News)
"There's camaraderie when the players meet each other again but they all want to win, even though it is a charity match."
– Bryan Robson, manager, Manchester United Legends
Bryan Robson previews the Manchester United Legends versus Bayern Munich All Stars game at Old Trafford on 14 June...
How important is the Red Heart United day for the club?
It’s massively important. The Legends game against Real Madrid in 2013 raised around £1million for charity with a crowd of over 60,000. That was great but hopefully we can fill the stadium this time around. To raise that sum was brilliant for a one-off event and I think it’s important to clarify all the lads play for nothing. Nobody gets paid for being involved and we know what sort of an impact the funds have on the community through the Manchester United Foundation.
Following Real Madrid last time around, you now have another European heavyweight to play against, in Bayern Munich. What do you think about that?
It shows there is an appetite from other big clubs around Europe for these events and inevitably conjures up memories of the 1999 final and hopefully plenty of the players involved that night in Barcelona will feature.
The first leg in Munich produced an exciting 3-3 scoreline. Can we expect more of the same at Old Trafford?
It was the same as the Madrid games - high quality. It wasn't just old men on a football pitch, it was a really competitive affair so we did really well to get a draw in Munich for the first leg. But while it's competitive on the pitch, there is always a nice relaxed atmosphere in the stadium and families can really enjoy it. It's a great day out with live music acts, a funfair and other attractions.
Are there any Bayern stars you remember facing in your playing days?
I played against Paul Breitner at the 1982 World Cup and I always thought Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was a great player so it would be nice if he's fit enough to be involved.
The game's on 14 June so you’ve got some time left to prepare the players..
Well, all the lads I select for these games look after themselves anyway. They're naturally fit and most of them go to the gym all the time and keep on top of their own fitness. Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, for example, are fitness fanatics. There's camaraderie when the players meet each other again but they all want to win, even though it is a charity match. The Bayern lads don’t want to get beaten either so it makes things very competitive.
What sort of pre-match routine will you have?
The most difficult thing is flying the players in from around the world but I always bring them to a hotel the night before the game so we can all get together and have a bite to eat. It’s about trying to keep that little bit of professionalism and discipline. When we went out last year to an Italian restaurant, all the players were drinking water and that shows they were respecting the game and taking it seriously.
