Bayern united in Camp Nou dismay
Thursday, April 9, 2009
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FC Bayern München captain Mark van Bommel said that his team "were truly fortunate that the score was only 4-0 because we were made to look like amateurs" after their quarter-final first-leg humbling by FC Barcelona.
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FC Bayern München may have equalled their heaviest margin of defeat in Europe in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against FC Barcelona yet according to Jürgen Klinsmann's players it could have been a lot worse.
Amazing performance
Michael Rensing is normally the first-choice goalkeeper but had the good fortune to be dropped to the bench so that Hans Jörg Butt could play. Rensing's honest view from the sidelines was: "We were lucky that Barça didn't score ten or more." His analysis was shared to a greater or lesser extent throughout the squad. "I think we were truly fortunate that the score was only 4-0 because we were made to look like amateurs," agreed captain Mark van Bommel, who was noticeably agitated at his team-mates during the match. "We knew beforehand how quickly Barça like to move the ball when in possession, and how important it was to press them instantly we lost possession. Instead we always seemed to miss the first challenge and then you are always left one step behind as Barça whip the ball around and you can't catch up."
Catastrophic night
"It doesn't get much worse than that," continued the former Barcelona player. "We'll never give up and the second leg is a chance to get some pride back for the fans, but we were not at a high level and Barça put on a fantastic display. We'll need them to send out only eight men next week to have a chance." The normally irrepressible Uli Hoeness, Bayern's general manager, struggled to find the words to describe the defeat, saying the visitors looked like "rabbits caught in front of a snake". Hoeness added that he would "work through my shock and disappointment" then watch the game again on television. "That's the only way to find the right analysis for this catastrophic night."
'Gave up'
Another who could not mask his bitter disappointment at Bayern's reverse was Franck Ribéry. "It felt a bit like the team panicked," said the playmaker, who turned 26 this week. "It also seemed like we gave up a bit after Barcelona got their first two goals. We couldn't put two or three good passes together and if you are stuck in the last 20 metres of the pitch defending everything which comes at you all the time, then it becomes really difficult."
