Only two games into the season, Bayern Munich are already feeling the pressure.
Bayern have one win and one defeat so far, going into today’s Bundesliga match against Hamburg SV. And coach Jupp Heynckes’ team showed little flair in a 2-0 methodical win over Zurich in a Champions League qualifier on Wednesday.
The club’s president was reportedly so upset at halftime that he upbraided the players vehemently during the break.
Bayern’s former star goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn, has criticised the team’s current leaders, creating more unrest.
“The fans were right to jeer at halftime,” star Bayern winger Arjen Robben said after Wednesday’s match. “We have to realise that we are still not playing well enough. We have to improve or the season will be very difficult.”
“We need more passion,” added Robben, who secured Bayern’s victory with his goal in the second half.
Bayern’s tepid performance reportedly produced a fiery outburst from club president Uli Hoeness at halftime.
“These kind of emotions belong to football,” Robben said.
Robben indirectly confirmed the incident, reported in some media but shrouded in some mystery.
Other players said Hoeness came into the changing room but did not say anything. Some said he never came in. Heynckes said he never saw him.
Outside the club, Kahn has stoked more emotions by repeating his assertion that captain Philipp Lahm and his deputy Bastian Schweinsteiger lack leadership qualities.
Schweinsteiger scored Bayern’s first goal and his sprint across the field seemed in part at least directed at dismissing such criticism.
Kahn’s broadside received support from Bayern’s elder statesman, Franz Beckenbauer, but was angrily rebuffed by other team officials.
Bayern finished third last season during which they fired coach Louis van Gaal, then invested heavily into signing new players for their defence.
But Bayern lost their season opener at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach and then beat Wolfsburg away on a contested late goal.
Hamburg also have little to show for a massive reshuffle of their team.
They have only one point after two games and another defeat today would plunge the team deeper into trouble.
New director Frank Arnesen says the team needs time, and coach “Michael Oenning and the players will get this time.”
Mainz and Hannover were two surprise teams last season and will be looking to stretch their unbeaten records to three wins over the weekend.
Both play at home tomorrow. Mainz host Schalke and Hannover meet promoted Hertha Berlin.
Defending champion Borussia Dortmund will be looking to bounce back from its 1-0 loss at Hoffenheim when it hosts Nuremberg today.
Also today, Werder Bremen hosts Freiburg, Stuttgart plays Bayer Leverkusen, newcomer Augsburg meets Hoffenheim and the two bottom clubs Cologne and Kaiserslautern play each other.