‘FC HOLLYWOOD’ NICKNAME BACK TO HAUNT BAYERN
Bavarian giants live up to Hollywood tag in run-up to blockbuster clash with PSG
BAYERN Munich play Paris Saint-Germain away in a blockbuster Champions League clash today with the old FC Hollywood nickname having returned to haunt the Bavarian giants.
In the 1990s, Bayern earned the FC Hollywood tag when the off-field antics of stars like Lothar Matthaeus and Jurgen Klinsmann made the headlines – as much as the team’s success on the pitch.
Even the coach got in on the act when Giovanni Trapattoni famously exploded in rage at his players’ performances during a news conference.
Since Ottmar Hitzfeld steered Bayern to the 2001 Champions League title, the moniker has been redundant, but recent events, combined with below-par results, have seen it reappear in the German media.
A shock 2-0 Bundesliga defeat at Hoffenheim, then last Friday’s 2-2 draw at home to Wolfsburg when Bayern threw away a two-goal lead, have not helped coach Carlo Ancelotti with his team, now third in the table. The Italian has been criticised on all sides.
The behaviour and comments of stars Thomas Mueller, Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery or Robert Lewandowski have added to the simmering tension.
Mueller moaned about being benched when Bayern won at Werder Bremen last month, saying: “I don’t know exactly which qualities the coach wants to see, but mine don’t seem to be 100% in demand.”
Then Ribery hurled his shirt in a rage after being substituted in the 3-0 Champions League win over Anderlecht and Robben slammed Bayern’s performance after the Belgians played for 80 minutes with 10 men.
Lewandowski criticised the club’s conservative spending policy, making the point they risk being left behind by their European rivals, in a thinly disguised attack on chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and president Uli Hoeness.
Ancelotti’s situation has been further hampered by the loss of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer – out until January with a fractured foot.
“I have a contract until 2019,” Ancelotti said recently about his future. “The criticism has gone beyond its limits. I am used to being criticised, but to be frank, this is too much!”
German daily Bild is already convinced Bayern have Hoffenheim’s 30-year-old coach, Julian Nagelsmann, lined up as a possible replacement.
Ancelotti was recruited to great fanfare when he took charge last year after Pep Guardiola left to coach Manchester City.
Under Guardiola, Bayern reached the Champions League semifinals for three years running, but under Ancelotti they bowed out in the quarterfinals to Real Madrid last season.