FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England forward Saër Sène will feel the pride rush through his body when Bayern Munich take the field at Wembley Stadium on Saturday (2:45 pm ET, Fox).
Sène may play for the Revolution now, but he learned his trade at Bayern before leaving on a free transfer to join MLS last year.
He spent the better part of three seasons honing his craft with the second team. He featured alongside the likes of David Alaba and Diego Contento – both current first-team players at Bayern – during his time with the club, wondering whether he would ever make the leap into the first team like a few of his former colleagues eventually did.
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It never quite worked out for Sène at Bayern, but his departure does not diminish his connection to the club or his former teammates as they prepare for their second Champions League final in as many years.
“I'm very happy and very proud that I played in a big team like that,” Sène told MLSsoccer.com. “The fact that I was there and learned a lot of stuff from them makes me very proud.”
Bayern's rampant success this season – Bundesliga winners at a canter, Champions League finalists after a stunning demolition of Barcelona in the semifinals – comes as little surprise to Sène. He understands the quality within the ranks and the internal demands placed upon the players to succeed each and every year.
More often than not, Sène pointed out, Bayern rise to the challenge and meet the lofty expectations set forth with success on two fronts.
“This is not a surprise for me, just because I know the guys,” Sène told MLSsoccer.com. “This is a very good team, one of the best teams in the world, and they show it every year.”
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Whether this latest run will translate to a sixth European title remains uncertain. German rivals Borussia Dortmund will present stern opposition, even with future Bayern midfielder Mario Götze ruled out through injury.
Sène said he plans to watch the proceedings in Massachusetts and pull for his former side to emerge with its expected victory. And then he will proceed to his primary task for the day.
“I'm going to watch it and then get ready for Toronto,” Sène said.
