Berlin: Thomas Mullers’ mood couldn’t have been worse. The Bavarian icon struggled for words after his side had delivered the poorest season start of Bundesliga in 12 years.
“I am terribly upset, upset about ourselves,” the striker stated in a grouchy tone after a poor 2-2 draw with league underdog Stuttgart on Saturday.
“We have gambled the game away and not everybody seems to understand we are far from where we want to be,” the 32-year-old said while the crowd’s displeasure was audible in the Munich arena, reports Xinhua.
In just two days, the 2020 treble winners are crossing swords with Spanish giants Barcelona and their former goal supplier Robert Lewandowski in the UEFA Champions League.
Since the Pole made his noisy departure a few weeks ago, Bayern Munich have claimed three disappointing draws after six rounds on their way to defending the league title.
Coming along are growing doubts if coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team can reach their international goals without the contributions of the 34-year-old Pole.
Meanwhile, Nagelsmann’s promise to re-adjust the team to a two-striker system based on alternating strikers constantly changing positions seems at stake.
While Lewandowski has scored 15 goals in his first three games in Barca’s shirt, his Bavarian successors seem to have lost their destination coordinates.
Against Stuttgart, 19-year-old Jamal Musiala and 17-year-old Mathys Tel had to help out, as established forces like new arrival Sadio Mane and German internationals Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry and Muller failed to satisfy their fans.
Kingsley Coman is sidelined due to an injury. Tel became Bayern’s youngest league scorer at an age of 17 years and 136 days and the youngest to ever turn up in the club’s starting eleven.
With Lewandowski is returning this Tuesday evening, tensions seem to have taken hold of the entire Bayern family.
Coach Nagelsmann spoke about minor deficits when it comes to efficiency, and he admitted that the club hasn’t found one box striker of similar quality for a suitable price.
Ahead of the duel against Barca, not only spectators but Bayern’s squad might have the feeling with a picture in their mind they know only too well — Lewandowski in a cheering pose.
–IANS
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