Bayern want silverware to remedy Madrid heartache

BERLIN: Defender Mats Hummels says Bayern Munich cannot afford to dwell on their Champions League exit to Real Madrid in their quest for Bundesliga and German Cup silverware.

Bayern’s controversial 4-2 second-leg defeat at Real Madrid on Tuesday, thanks largely to Cristiano Ronaldo’s hat-trick, saw Bayern crash out of the quarter-finals 6-3 on aggregate, but they are still hot favourites to seal a domestic double.

The Bavarian giants are eight points clear and three wins short of a fifth straight Bundesliga title to maintain their iron-grip on Germany’s top tier.

German international Hummels says they need to get over their Champions League disappointment before Saturday’s league match home to struggling Mainz, who are desperate for points to battle relegation. On Wednesday Bayern have a crunch German Cup semi-final home to Borussia Dortmund.

“We still need to get the league title under lock and key, plus we have a real cracker in the cup. That will be a highlight,” said Hummels, whose side dropped two points in last weekend’s goalless draw in Leverkusen.

Hummels, Robert Lewandowski and Jerome Boateng were all carrying knocks in Madrid and coach Carlo Ancelotti is expected to rotate before facing Dortmund.

Bayern are already without Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for the rest of the season with a fractured foot. Sven Ulreich will deputise, while Bayern are without Spain defender Javi Martinez, who has a leg knock. Mainz were the last Bundesliga club to beat Bayern at home when they poached a 2-1 win at the Allianz Arena in March 2016.

However, Martin Schmidt’s side are 15th, only avoiding the relegation places on goal difference, although they broke a five-match losing streak with a 1-0 win home to Hertha Berlin last weekend.

Schmidt does not expect Bayern to suffer a Champions League hangover. “They have a top-class team which will challenge us. It would be fatal to hope for a tired opponent,” he said. — AFP