Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has praised his club’s Champions League performance against Real Madrid as the best in five years, despite failing to reach the final.
The mouth-watering affair produced seven goals over the two legs, finishing 4-3 on aggregate, and Rummenigge has since lauded the efforts of Jupp Heynckes’s men.
“We saw the best match in the Champions League that I have experienced in the last five years with Bayern Munich,” he told post-match reporters at the team hotel (via Goal).
“We all agree we had the best team on the brink – Real Madrid are currently number one in UEFA’s ranking. We played with great fight, incredible passion and courage.
“We’re all a bit sad because it was possible to bring the great Real Madrid into the abyss. We drew 2-2, you did a great job. It was the best advert for football.
“I believe not just Bayern but all of Germany and the football world will pay our team, head coach Jupp Heynckes and his coaching team the greatest respect.”
Heynckes would have been hoping for a fairytale ending to his Bayern tenure, but the German tactician can now turn his attention to achieving a domestic double.
Having already secured the Bundesliga Meisterschale this season, Heynckes faces Eintracht Frankfurt in the DFB-Pokal final later this month, and Rummenigge believes the club have done a brilliant job this term having endured a slow start to the season.
“Let me remind you we were five points behind Borussia Dortmund in October. We now have an advantage of more than 20 points in the Bundesliga, we have been the only German representative in the Champions League since the last 16.
“Unfortunately, I do not have a hat, but I would like to tip it to the team.”
