“It was one big individual mistake too many”
Bayern Munich lost 3-0 at Manchester City. The entry into the semi-finals is a long way off. “The second goal cost us a lot of self-confidence,” says coach Thomas Tuchel.
Bayern go under at Manchester City and are about to end in the Champions League. Defeat is mainly attributed to two players. There is heavy criticism and also bad insults.
Dhe depressed FC Bayern delegation returned to Munich after the 3-0 loss in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. In the luggage a huge backlog and debates, especially about a player. The German champions had held up well against City for a long time, but after Bernardo Silva’s 0: 2 (70th), the Munich team swam enormously.
The goal was preceded by a serious mistake by Dayot Upamecano. The defender tried to dribble in front of his own goal and lost the ball with serious consequences. Afterwards he looked embarrassed. The Frenchman, who had otherwise acted extremely insecure, knew only too well that he was largely responsible for the extent of the defeat.
“At this level against a team like that, you can’t afford anything. No lateness, no hundredth of a second, no mistake, because it will be punished mercilessly immediately,” said club boss Oliver Kahn. There were no direct accusations against the 24-year-old central defender. “It’s important that he believes in his strengths. He’s an outstanding player,” said Joshua Kimmich.
Racist hostilities against Upamecano
The international media was all the harsher on Upamecano. The analysis of the Spanish newspaper “Mundo Deportivo” was extremely brutal: “Upamecano ‘signs’ with Manchester City. The central defender’s inexplicable game was the downfall for Bayern Munich. Despite wearing Bayern’s shirt, almost any viewer could have guessed that he was color blind because he appeared to be wearing ‘sky blue’ in many situations. If Upamecano wanted to send his CV to Pep Guardiola, maybe that’s not the way to go.”
And “RMC Sport” from France said: “Upamecano’s bad mistake gives Bernardo Silva the second goal. Upamecano was to blame for an unforgivable loss of possession in the final 25 yards from his goal.”
A number of fans also attacked the defender and lost all objectivity in the process. Bayern defended the centre-back against racist comments on social media. “All of us at FC Bayern condemn racism in the strongest terms! The whole club is behind you, Oops!” the club wrote under an Instagram photo of the 24-year-old, who was also protected by an expert.
Hamann no longer sees summer in the Bayern goal
However, Dietmar Hamann used this to attack another player. According to the ex-national player, goalkeeper Yann Sommer was the main problem. “For me, the goalkeeper was hopelessly overwhelmed today. The goalkeeper has significantly unsettled the team today – and not only today, also in the last few weeks,” said Hamann on Sky. For him, Upamecano’s mistake also has a lot to do with Sommer: “You have a goalkeeper in there who almost shoots the ball in himself after 20 minutes. That’s when you start shaking. You think: Can we still play it?”
The Swiss came from Borussia Mönchengladbach during the winter break for eight million euros as a replacement for the injured Manuel Neuer. “I would have thought when he came, he’d pack it. I have to revise myself today. He didn’t make it,” said Hamann, adding: “I don’t think he’s an option to be in goal for Bayern next year.”
Goalkeeper Sommer (left) and defender Upamecano
Source: dpa/Tom Weller