As of: April 9, 2024, 5:02 a.m
By: Manuel Bonke, Philipp Kessler
Comments
Press
Split
FC Bayern travels to the Champions League hit at Arsenal. Sports director Max Eberl wants to switch to fighting mode.
Munich - With a lot of anger in their stomachs and two Bundesliga defeats in a row, FC Bayern's traveling entourage set off for London on Monday afternoon. In the British capital on Tuesday (9 p.m., Amazon), FC Arsenal invites the Munich team to the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League.
FC Bayern challenged in the Champions League after two Bundesliga defeats
After the 2-3 disgrace at the weekend in Heidenheim, Bavaria's self-image is once again at rock bottom this season. A very bad time, after all, the Gunners are currently at the top of the Premier League table - and will make short work of Bayern if they put in a similarly weak performance at the Emirates Stadium, as was the case on the last two Bundesliga matchdays was.
“To be honest, it’s a difficult moment for us. After the defeats in the Bundesliga, our self-confidence seems very low,” admits Thomas Müller, only to switch into now-more-now mode: “We should use this situation as an opportunity to get everyone on the big stage against the Gunners to surprise. This is not the time to give up.”
Analysis of the Heidenheim defeat: It got loud at FC Bayern
Sports director Max Eberl recorded Müller's combative tones before the flight to London. When asked what gave him hope for the mammoth task in the premier class after the recent disgrace, he replied: “We have worked through the matter and expressed our opinion.”
In plain language: When the Heidenheim bankruptcy was being dealt with, it got loud in the meeting room on Säbener Strasse. “Now it’s over – and we have to go to London in the fight mode Thomas announced. We have looked very good in the Champions League so far.” The hurdle in London is high, “but as the saying goes? Nothing is impossible".
Max Eberl, sports director of FC Bayern Munich, gives a press statement at Munich airport before the flight to London. © Sven Hoppe/dpa
My news
Would you have recognized him? Former Bayern star visits Munich hotspotreading
Tuchel's fatal decision speaks volumes
Tuchel's tantrum during Bayern's bankruptcy does not remain without consequences
After Alonso's basket: The next coaching candidate says Bayern will read
Premature separation? Tuchel makes clear announcements at Bayern-PK in front of Arsenal
FC Arsenal vs FC Bayern live on TV and stream: The Champions League is playing here
FC Bayern with Neuer, Pavlovic, Sané and Coman against Arsenal
What also gives hope for the task: With goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, six-man Aleksandar Pavlovic and the two wingers Leroy Sané and Kingsley Coman, several ailing top performers are back in the squad.
Eberl: "It's not meant to be an excuse or an excuse, but we're struggling with a lot of aches and injuries and have never been able to get the team into a rhythm." Not every player mentioned is 100 percent fit and is therefore eligible for a starting eleven , but according to Eberl, “sometimes 80 percent is enough to change the structure of the team.”
Now Bayern are traveling to London: Eberl announces Tuchel's decision
However, there is still no change in the coaching chair. As of now, Thomas Tuchel remains Bayern head coach this week. “I said he would stay. The end of the season is a long time away - but I don't know what would have to happen today for him not to sit on the bench until the end of the season," emphasized Eberl.
But could another team implosion get things moving faster? Eberl keeps a low profile: “We’ll play the game first. What if – life is not a subjunctive, life is in the here and now. We have a difficult task there. We want to try to win.”
Eberl doesn't just hold Tuchel responsible
Instead of putting pressure on the coach, Eberl takes himself and sports director Christoph Freund to task: “We are all in the same boat, there is no one who sits next to us or is above it. We have to make sure we're all paddling in the same direction.” From Munich's perspective, we can only hope that the Bayern boat in the Thames doesn't sink for good this season.
Manuel Bonke, Philipp Kessler