Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer has labelled
the Bundesliga side's horrifying performance during the 4-0 defeat
at Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League as the
worst in the club's history.
Beckenbauer, one of the club's greatest ever players, could not
believe what he was seeing as the Catalan club scored four goals in
the first 45 minutes of the first leg at the Camp Nou and did not
hold back in his post-match criticism.
"What I saw in the first half was without a doubt the worst
football Bayern have played in their entire history," the Kaiser
said. "It was an exhibition. Almost a humiliation. Barcelona gave
us a lesson in football."
The defeat in Spain was Bayern's second embarrassing result in
the space of five days, after losing 5-1 to Bundesliga rivals VfL
Wolfsburg on Saturday, and leaves the future of under-fire coach
Jurgen Klinsmann in doubt.
But chairman Karl-Heinze Rummenigge refused to comment on
Klinsmann's future and instead called for Bayern, who are fourth in
the German League, to pick themselves up and prepare for a good
finish to their domestic campaign.
"We have no chance in the Champions League now, that is
obvious," Rummenigge said. "We must focus on the Bundesliga and
make sure we qualify for the competition for next season. And we
can start with our next match this Saturday against [Eintracht]
Frankfurt."
Klinsmann revealed the players were speechless after the
demoralising thrashing in Spain and said he expected to receive
criticism after such a defeat.
"After the match it was very quiet in our dressing room and
nothing was said," the Bayern boss said. "We were taken apart in
the first half by a team that is currently setting the standard in
Europe ... Criticism for the coach is part of the job after two
such bad results."
Klinsmann added that his side had been utterly unable to
compensate for the absence of central defenders Lucio and Daniel
van Buyten, left back Philipp Lahm and striker Miroslav Klose.
"We wanted to give Barca a fight, throw ourselves into
challenges and cramp them with a five-man midfield but we were not
able to make it work," he said.
"It was clear in every part of the team that we just could not
live with them. "Obviously it is a tough time for the coach but we
have got to stick together and now concentrate fully on the
Bundesliga.
Bayern midfielder Mark van Bommel, a former Barca player, said
it could not have been any worse for the German side and they were
lucky not to concede more.
"Perhaps if they only bring eight men to Munich then we have a
chance," the Dutchman said.
