BOATENG BLASTS ‘CARELESS’ BAYERN FOR SEMIFINAL LOSS

Berlin, April 30: Jerome Boateng says Bayern Munich must improve for Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal, firstleg, at Barcelona or not bother travelling to Spain following their “careless” German Cup exit.

Bayern’s dreams of repeating their 2013 treble of European, league and cup titles this season were ended when they were knocked out of the German Cup semifinals on Tuesday by Borussia Dortmund on penalties.

The defeat came just two days after winning the Bundesliga title.

Boateng said they can ill afford anything less than a top performance at the Camp Nou against the Spanish league leaders, with the return leg on May 12.

“Barcelona are one of the best teams in the world and we’ll need a top performance,” Boateng told football magazine Kicker.

“If we play like we did after the 70th minute against Dortmund, then there is no need for us to even go to Barcelona.

“Dortmund came back into the game and we gifted them the chance to play in the final. We were too careless. We have to defend and attack again as a team. We make too many mistakes when we take the lead. We give the ball away too quickly, and are too lax.”