Pre-Match Talk - Inter Milan Vs Bayern Munich, Milito urges teammates to respect Bayern

In the build up to the rematch of the 2010 Champions League final, where Internazionale will take on Bayern Munich in the first-leg of the last-16 round, Inter's goal-scoring hero Diego Milito urged his team-mates to respect the Germans.

Inter had defeated Bayern 2-0 in last season's final, with Milito scoring both goals at the Santiago Bernabeu in May. It capped a great season for the club, in which it won the treble.

However, Inter will be without Milito's services for Wednesday's encounter at the San Siro but despite his absence, Milito is confident his teammates have what it takes to win the tie, but also warned them not to take the Germans lightly.

Leonardo has given us the consciousness to be a strong group and I believe that this has been fundamental, hesaid. The team is solid right now. Winning the Club World Cup has given us a special boost. Now there is Bayern. You need a lot of attention against players like Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Thomas Muller and Mario Gomez. From central midfield to attack, they are a team to respected.

His feelings were reflected by his skipper Javier Zanetti who also insisted that his team was capable of emerging victorious.

They are different from the team we played in May and it will be a different game from the Champions League final, but we're in great shape, just as we were back then, he said. Bayern are a good team, but we must try to play our game and win. Play with our heads and stay tight to hit them on the break.

It's a shame Diego isn't here, but we have to focus on our football all the same and achieve a positive result over 180 minutes. We must be careful not to leave Bayern too much space, but we are ready. We're aware of our strength. This is the Champions League! We want to keep going.

Milito and Zanetti's warnings should be well heeded as Bayern are out to set the record straight despite Bayern striker Mario Gomez insisting that the tie wasn't about revenge.

He said, ''It's not a revenge mission. It's not the Champions League trophy at stake, it's about reaching the next round. This is a different team, and we're in a different situation.''

Thomas Muller, who shed off the agonies of the loss and had a great World Cup, maintained that this Bayern side could get one better on Inter.

''It won't exactly be a stroll, but looking at it objectively, we have to be able to go through,'' he said. ''They weren't unbeatable in the final last year. We were our own worst enemies to a certain extent.''

Though the stakes aren't as high as the last time the two met, all the signs point towards a classic at the San Siro.