Bayern Munich
Between hope and championship: Oliver Kahn’s emotional words after the Manchester debacle
Despite the difficult initial situation, believes in progressing in the Champions League: Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn
© Angelika Warmuth / DPA
FC Bayern has to digest the next title knockout. Or is there a second leg miracle? After the 0: 3 shock, Kahn appeals to the championship in the Bundesliga, but also conjures up a miracle in the Champions League.
When Thomas Tuchel and his badly bruised Bayern stars sneaked into the ballroom, Oliver Kahn wavered between being a champion and a miracle in the second leg.
As in the best days as a goalkeeper “Titan”, the CEO preached his legendary “go on, keep going” mentality in the nightly speech. “It doesn’t look so good, but I’ve experienced incredible things in football,” said Kahn after what was believed to be the second title knockout within a week. “We have a duty to throw in everything we can in this second leg.”
After the 0: 3 mood killer at Manchester City without captain Thomas Müller in the starting eleven, Munich still have the theoretical chance of reaching the semi-finals with a historic premier class day next Wednesday. Far more likely, however, is that the Bayern bosses will have to write off the next trophy a few weeks after the coaching earthquake.
Bayern Munich and the last realistic goal: the championship
“There’s no point in lamenting anything, somehow seeing everything negatively. We have a great opportunity to become German champions,” Kahn stated in front of embarrassed faces at the board table. “We cannot afford to lose ourselves in thought.”
After the painful defeat against the title favorites trained by Pep Guardiola and led offensively by super striker Erling Haaland, the depressed delegation emphasized positive aspects of their own game. But an even higher bankruptcy would have been possible, because after the 0: 2 by a serious mistake by Dayot Upamecano, the Munich team swam enormously. Overall, there was a lack of nerves of steel and assertiveness. As in 2021 (Paris Saint-Germain) and 2022 (Villarreal FC), the 2020 title winner is likely to be eliminated in the quarter-finals again.
With oysters, beef wellington or quinoa power salad, Müller & Co. were able to let the painful first leg of the quarterfinals sink in the ballroom of the Clocktower Hotel after eight wins in eight Champions League games of the season. Munich lost only twice in the top league higher. “It’s about getting the three points against Hoffenheim, then we’ll prepare for Wednesday and see what else the football god has in store,” said Müller, struggling with his own fighting spirit. Bayern have a two-point lead over pursuers Borussia Dortmund. It’s hard to imagine what would happen in Munich if, after losing the cup and possibly the Champions League, Bayern’s championship streak, which has been going on for ten years, should break. The game plan means well with the Bundesliga series champion. With Mainz and Leipzig, only two opponents from the top half of the table are waiting for Munich in the last seven match days.
A look at the history of Europe’s top class can give at least a tiny bit of hope. “Completely different things were filmed in the Champions League,” recalled national player Leon Goretzka. FC Barcelona, for example, celebrated sensationally in the season after a 0: 4 against Paris Saint-Germain with a 6: 1 progression to the round of 16. In 2018/19 Liverpool FC were practically out after losing 3-0 to Barcelona, but made it to the final with a 4-0 win.