Thursday, September 2, 2010

Bayern Munich's preparations for their critical Euro clash tonight have been rocked by Luca Toni’s ‘it’s me or him’ ultimatum over coach Louis Van Gaal.

The Italy forward, who insists he’s over his early season injury woes, has been regularly benched under Van Gaal this season. And with the World Cup next year in his thoughts, the 32-year-old is desperate to prove he should be on the plane to South Africa.

“I have had problems with him for four months now and there is a limit to everything,” he said as his team prepared for their must-win Champions League game with Maccabi Haifa tonight. “Our relationship is as good as over.

“I wish all the good in the world to Bayern. “I would like to return to play in Italy to score the goals which would get me back into the national team.
“I am still the striker who has scored the most goals for the national team.”

The frustrated forward’s comments come at the worst possible time for the club and are the latest blow to a team struggling under their Dutch master.

The German giants are stuttering in the Bundesliga, currently lying seventh. And even victory tonight against the Israeli club may not be enough to keep their Group A ambitions alive - with a win for Juventus against Bordeaux sending both teams through, at Bayern’s expense.   

An early exit from Europe’s premier competition will surely increase the pressure on Bayern’s under-fire coach. And Van Gaal’s problems mounted further after play-maker Franck Ribery was put in quarantine after his wife contracted swine ‘flu.

But team manager Uli Hoeness moved to dismiss talk of a crisis in Bavaria.

“We have not discussed the topic of dismissing Van Gaal internally” Hoeness said. “We have analysed the situation along with the coach. “We have given him our full support and are working together to find a solution.”

But Hoeness did not say how long the job guarantee will last or what will happen if Bayern suffer an embarrassing home defeat tonight.

Last Friday, Van Gaal admitted his job will be in danger if his side fails to improve and only a series of wins, starting with Haifa, will help.

Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer has said the situation will be reviewed during the Bundesliga’s winter break in December.

If Bayern fail to reach the Champions League knockout stages, it would be the first time since 2002/03 when the Bavarians finished bottom of their group.

Meanwhile, Juve coach Ciro Ferrara is adamant his side will be focused on only one thing against the French.

The Serie A team only need to match Bayern’s result to ensure they make it through to the knockout phase. And Ferrara, who who will be able to call up Alessandro Del Piero after the talismanic captain recovered from injury,  wants to ensure qualification before his team have to meet Bayern next month in Turin.

“We have a great chance of qualifying for the second round of the Champions League so our concentration is fully on what we do against Bordeaux,” Ferrara said.