Bayern are playing like rubbish, fumes Hoeness

MUNICH, Germany (AFP) –

Uli Hoeness arrives for Bayern Munich’s home game against Hanover 96 in November. The Bayern Munich president has accused the Bundesliga leaders of “playing like rubbish” after they scraped into the Champions League quarter-finals despite losing at home to Arsenal.

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has accused the Bundesliga leaders of “playing like rubbish” after they scraped into the Champions League quarter-finals despite losing at home to Arsenal.

Bayern won the last 16 tie against the Gunners only on away goals after their 3-1 first-leg victory at the Emirates Stadium three weeks ago was followed by a 2-0 defeat at Munich’s Allianz Arena on Wednesday, leaving it 3-3 on aggregate.

Needing three goals in Munich to reach the last eight, Arsenal gave Bayern an almighty scare as striker Olivier Giroud scored for the Gunners early on before defender Laurent Koscielny netted in the 86th minute to set up a frantic finish.

Bayern, who are bidding to reach their third Champions League final in four years, go into Friday’s last-eight draw, but Hoeness has insisted they will not progress further if they continue playing poorly.

“The trend is your friend and for the last three weeks we have been playing like rubbish,” fumed Hoeness, with Bayern 20 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

“For the last few weeks, whether it was at Hoffenheim, Duesseldorf or here today, we have not played well.

“Unless the team buck up their ideas, we won’t win anything in the Champions League.”

Since beating rivals Dortmund 1-0 in Munich at the end of February to reach the German Cup semi-finals, Bayern won narrowly at Bundesliga strugglers Hoffenheim and had to twice come from behind to beat Duesseldorf in Munich.

Bayern were missing playmaker Franck Ribery, midfield star Bastian Schweinsteiger and centre-back Jerome Boateng against Arsenal, but Hoeness said the team must improve regardless of whom they draw.

“I couldn’t care less who we get. If we play well, we can beat anyone. If we play like we did today, we won’t beat anyone,” said Hoeness.

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge admitted the defeat by Arsenal, only their third of the season, was a “warning shot”, while coach Jupp Heynckes admitted his team had been given a “black eye” by the Gunners.

It was the first time in 37 matches this season that Bayern failed to score, despite a string of chances and right-wing Thomas Mueller admitted it was a wake-up call.

“It is good that we have suffered a bit of a set-back, it shows that it’s not all sunshine in our world,” he said.