KNOCK ’EM OUT
» Bayern won 2013 CL after semi-final punch-up between Robben and Ribery » Germans’ chief Kahn, who lost to United in 1999, says: Miracles can happen
BAYERN MUNICH reached the Champions League Final the last time two of their wingers became involved in a fist fight – but the club know it will take a miracle for it to happen again.
Bayern are in crisis after their 3-0 quarter-final defeat at Manchester City was compounded by a dressingroom bust-up, which saw Sadio Mane punch team-mate Leroy Sane in the mouth.
Former Liverpool star Mane was banned and suspended for lashing out at the ex-city winger.
He must wait to see if coach Thomas Tuchel recalls him for the return leg in Munich on
Wednesday night. But the punch-up evoked memories of a similar scrap, 11 years ago, between Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben.
The pair came to blows in the dressing room after a blazing half-time row about who should have taken a freekick in the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
Robben was left nursing a black eye, but Bayern still prevailed on penalties – only to lose the final after a shoot-out against Chelsea in their own Allianz Arena.
Ribery’s punch cost him a £45,000 fine, but, after making his peace with Robben, the pair were instrumental in helping Bayern lift a unique treble of Bundesliga, Champions League and German Cup the following season. Now, the club’s hierarchy are hoping the creative tensions can once again have a positive effect. Chief executive Oliver Kahn tried to rally Tuchel and his players within hours of their Etihad thrashing at a post-match banquet at Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower Hotel. Kahn, 53, is under huge pressure after taking the decision to sack Julian Nagelsmann and appoint Tuchel as coach. But he was Bayern’s keeper for 14 years during a playing career that saw him win the Champions League, eight Bundesliga titles and 86 caps for ‘We have a duty to throw everything at City in the second leg’
Germany.
Kahn knows how quickly European football’s elite tournament can turn.
He was in Bayern’s goal when Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer struck in injury time to make Manchester United European champions in 1999.
Kahn’s message to Tuchel’s team was that they must do everything they can to be on the right side of a miracle this time. “Anything is possible in football,” said Kahn. “I have experienced incredible things in the game myself.
“There is no point in lamenting or seeing everything in a negative way.
“We have a duty to throw everything at City in the second leg. We have to try everything we can.
“We have to show the fans in Munich and all over the world that we will not give up.
“We had our chances in the first game. But, at this level against a team like City, you can’t afford to do anything wrong. Nothing.
“You can’t be late for anything against them – not even for 100th of a second.
“There can be no mistakes because they are punished mercilessly.”