1 month ago
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JAMAL MUSIALA has been left red-faced after an interview before Bayern Munich’s shock thrashing by Feyenoord.
The Germans were thumped 3-0 at home by the unfancied Dutchmen on Wednesday in the penultimate round of Champions League group matches.
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YouTubeThe comprehensive defeat was embarrassing for Vincent Kompany‘s side, leaving them 15th in the League stage of the competition with one game to go.
And Musiala will be feeling it more than most of his team-mates, after failing to name a single Feyenoord player before the match.
When pressed on the Rotterdam club’s star men, the midfielder said on Tuesday night: “I’m bad with names. Can you tell me a name.
“We already had a meeting. I’m not good with names too much.
“We’ve known that they’re really good at their counterattacks and have a lot of quality.
“They have a young 19-year-old in midfield as well and they have a lot of quality.
“We’re not gonna underestimate them tomorrow.”
Feynoord’s stunning win surprised many, but not Bayern boss Kompany.
New Champions League format is a snorefest
By Dan King
UEFA sold the idea of expanding the Champions League from 32 to 36 teams, with each playing eight games instead of six in the opening phase, as a way of creating more competitiveness and excitement.
The biggest clubs would have two matches against their peers, rather than having to wait until the knockout stage to meet.
The smaller clubs would meet teams of a similar level twice and have a chance of tasting victory that was so hard to achieve if you were the bottom seed in a group of four.
Ignoring for a moment the fact that the real motivation was the simple equation of more games = more money, the theory itself already looks flawed.
None of the matches between European giants has delivered a compelling contest yet.
And why would they? At the start of the long season with more matches in it, why would any team with ambitions to win things in the spring, go out all guns blazing in the autumn?
Especially when they know they have six games NOT against big sides to make sure they accrue enough points to qualify at least for the play-off round (and even more games).
There is even less jeopardy than before.
Read the full column on the Champions League format fail and why everyone – including YOU – needs a rethink.
He said: “We weren’t surprised. We are used to playing against this type of team.
“We often find a solution, find good moments. That didn’t work out today.
“We did run, we fought and gave it our all to have a good game, but the performance wasn’t good enough.
“Feyenoord used their moments, we also had our moments but didn’t use them.”
The former Manchester City skipper continued: “I have to be honest, Feyenoord deserved their win.
EPA“They fought hard and ran. We had many chances, I felt we could’ve scored one, two, or even more goals.
“Feyenoord used their moments well. Individually and collectively it wasn’t enough from our side today.
“The best thing is that there’s another game in a couple of days and we can show a reaction.”
Bayern – who are 15th in the 36-team table – will welcome Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava to the Allianz Arena in their final group match next Wednesday.
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