Must do better: Bayern must recover quickly ahead of
their final against Chelsea
Bayern Munich admit they must recover quickly from their
5-2 humiliation by Borussia Dortmund if they are to have any chance
of beating Chelsea in the Champions League final.
The Bundesliga runners-up suffered an embarrassingly heavy
defeat at the hands of double-winning Dortmund in the German Cup
final on Saturday.
It was their fifth straight loss to their rivals, and came just
a week before they take on Roberto Di Matteo's men in their own
Allianz Arena for Europe's top prize.
'Obviously this defeat is very painful,' disappointed Dutch
winger Arjen Robben said.
'It is frustrating and we need to process this quickly because
from Monday onwards, there is only one direction and that is the
Champions League final.'
While Bayern have been sensational in their run towards what
could be a fifth European crown, they have played second fiddle to
Dortmund in Germany all season.
An error-strewn performance, where sloppy mistakes gifted
Dortmund three of their five goals, did little to boost their
confidence ahead of what is the biggest match of the season and the
only way to rescue their campaign with some
silverware.
'It was our own fault. Only we are to blame for losing the
league and cup titles,' playmaker Bastian Schweinsteiger
said.
Mistakes such as Luiz Gustavo's back pass that led to Dortmund's
opener and keeper Manuel Neuer's failure to hold on to the ball
that allowed Robert Lewandowski to complete his hat-trick could
prove equally as costly against Chelsea.
'Every goal was a slap in the face. It was an embarrassment but
we need to draw the lessons from this defeat quickly,' Bayern CEO
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge added.
Down and out: Chelsea will hope to take advantage of
the poor result
Dejected: Arjen Robben reacts to Bayern Munich's heavy
defeat
Coach Jupp Heynckes, who fielded a full-strength team
against Dortmund, knows it will be even harder against Chelsea as
left back David Alaba, central defender Holger Badstuber and
midfielder Gustavo are suspended for the
final.
'The game against Chelsea will be a completely different game,'
assured Heynckes, who led Real Madrid to Champions League victory
in 1998.
'Obviously my players are disappointed but we will have
recovered from this shock by next week. We cannot allow ourselves
the same mistakes.'
