German press turn on Carlo Ancelotti after shock Rostov loss
After Bayern Munich fell to their second-consecutive defeat and let Champions League group D top spot slip away, there was heavy criticism from both inside and outside the club.Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern Munich live online
Bayern Munich’s shock defeat to European minnows Rostov on Wednesday night has opened a pandora’s box of criticism from both outside and inside the club.
The Bavarian club fell to their second consecutive defeat in Russia – something which hasn’t happened since the start of 2015 – and also gifted Champions League rivals Atletico Madrid top spot in Group D with one game to spare, meaning the Germans go through to the last 16 as the 2nd-placed side (which hasn’t happened in 12 years).
“Carlo, we have a crisis!”
Carlo Ancelotti, as coaches usually do after difficult defeats, put the blame on himself. “As manager I should assume responsibility and get the team back on track as soon as possible,” he said after the game.
The press, however, were less measured. “Carlo, we have a crisis!” ran TZ’s headline, pointing out that the six changes Ancelotti made to the side “is not an excuse for an unacceptable performance”.
Germany’s top-selling newspaper Bild also criticised Ancelotti’s replacements, saying, “The fact is that Ancelotti’s big rotation didn’t work”, proclaiming that the former Real Madrid coach “froze”.
"Bayern still haven't found their way"
Not just critical of the game, the German media also said the loss to Rostov underlines some deeper lying problems at Bayern. “The match against Rostov made clear that with new coach Carlo Ancelotti, the team still hasn’t found its way,” wrote Süddeutsche Zeitung. This was a conclusion shared by TZ, who said that Bayern are “still looking for form and a clear structure” under the Italian.
Boetang controversy
The critics have also resonated inside the club. After the game, Bayern president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge “tore to shreds” defender Jerome Boateng, in the words of the Bild.
"It would have been good for him and the club if he came back to earth a little,” Rummenigge is quoted to have said by said DPA news agency after Boateng declared post match that the team was "broken".
Boetang, who was injured in Russia and will not be able to play on Saturday against Leverkusen, has found himself at the eye of the storm lately. Prior to the Champions League encounter, Boateng was not included in last couple of Bayern squad’s due to an adductor injury, but the German media speculated that he was “removed” from the team to be able to collect a prize at a fashion magazine gala.