As one of football’s heavyweights, Bayern Munich are accustomed to playing in some of Europe’s finest stadiums.
But the build-up to their Champions League tie with Liverpool on Tuesday night has taken the German team and their multi-millionaire stars into the unknown – Prenton Park, the home of Tranmere Rovers.
Bayern’s players trained there on Tuesday morning as they run through their final preparations before the last-16, first leg fixture at Anfield.
Bayern Munich’s star striker Robert Lewandowski arrives at Tranmere’s Prenton Park for a training session ahead of their Champions League tie against Liverpool on Tuesday night
Defender Mats Hummels walks into Prenton Park for training ahead of Bayern’s last-16 tie
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer leads his team-mates off the Bayern team coach for training
Leon Goretska in his training gear ahead of Bayern’s light matchday training session
The bright red Bayern team coach was pretty conspicuous outside Tranmere’s Prenton Park
The conspicuous bright red Bayern team coach rolled up outside Bayern’s team hotel at 10am and by 11am they were at the League Two club’s ground.
A gaggle of autograph hunters were gathered in the car park as Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer and Robert Lewandowski walked in.
Tranmere’s home since 1912 has a capacity of 15,573, about one-fifth of Bayern’s Allianz Arena stadium, and their average attendance this season is 6,036.
Bayern will complete a light training session at Prenton Park ahead of their meeting with last season’s Champions League finalists.
Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac feels Liverpool are the toughest draw his men could have been handed but has backed the Bavarians to get a positive result at Anfield on Tuesday.
James Rodriguez takes in the surroundings of the League Two venue ahead of training
Keeper Manuel Neuer sits in the dug-out at Prenton Park ahead of Bayern’s training session
Leon Goretska and Franck Ribery lark around as they emerge from the Prenton Park tunnel
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds were runners-up in the competition last season and are currently second in the Premier League, level on points with leaders Manchester City, who have played a game more.
Kovac said at his pre-match press conference ahead of Tuesday’s match: ‘I want to say once again we are playing tomorrow against an opponent where it is the most difficult draw.
‘If you look at what Liverpool did in the Champions League last season, and what they are doing in the Premier League this season, then you have to say it is the most difficult draw that there is.
‘The atmosphere will definitely be good, but I’m sure my players have gone through a lot of big games with great atmospheres, so that’s not an argument that we shouldn’t be able to compete tomorrow.
‘We just have to get into the game, be focused, stand up to the first attacks and then we’ll try to play our game, and (then) we can get a successful result.
The bright red Bayern team coach comes complete with badge and images of star players
Prenton Park – capacity 15,573 – represented a real change of scenery for the Bayern stars
Mats Hummels and his team-mates head into the Prenton Park dressing rooms from the coach
The German side are going through final preparations ahead of the crunch first leg at Anfield
‘The Champions League is undoubtedly special and tomorrow when the lads leave the hotel or come into the stadium, they’ll know what it’s about, why they need venues like this and opponents like this.
‘I’m completely convinced everybody will be right in the head and produce performances they have to to get a result tomorrow.’
Bayern are currently second themselves, behind Klopp’s old club Borussia Dortmund, in the Bundesliga, which they won last term for a sixth successive season. They exited last year’s Champions League in the semi-finals.
Former Bayern and Croatia player Kovac took charge at the club last summer, succeeding the retiring Jupp Heynckes.
The visitors look set to be without Jerome Boateng on Tuesday, the defender having been hit by gastroenteritis and not travelled with the squad.
Winger Franck Ribery is another player who did not come across from Germany with his team-mates on Monday, following the birth of his daughter during the night, but he was due to arrive ahead of the match.
It appears Kingsley Coman, who scored twice before coming off with an injury in Friday’s 3-2 win at Augsburg, will be available.
Leon Goretzka trained individually on Monday having picked up a slight ankle problem. Thomas Muller is suspended.