Football
Mark Lovell, Bayern Munich blogger 7y

Bayern Munich CEO criticises Jerome Boateng's off-field activities

Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has criticised Jerome Boateng for his off-field activities, telling Sky that Germany's Footballer of the Year needs to "come back to earth" after their surprise 3-2 defeat in Rostov. 

Bayern defender Boateng, who has won awards for his charity work and social engagement, receives advice from rapper Jay Z on his U.S. marketing efforts, which include a designer glasses label. 

Rummenigge said the central defender's heavy workload away from the pitch is becoming a hindrance, hinting that he should be concentrating more on football.

"He's got to calm down," Rummenigge told Sky Deutschland. "Since last summer it's all gotten a bit much. It would be in the interests of him and the club if he came back to earth a little."

Boateng endured a difficult game in Rostov, with Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun getting the better of him to equalise after Douglas Costa had given Bayern the lead after 35 minutes.

He also conceded a penalty following a clumsy lunge on Christian Noboa as Rostov came from behind to win their first ever Champions League game with a sublime Noboa free kick on 67 minutes.

Rummenigge was strongly critical of Bayern's back line as Carlo Ancelotti's men slipped to their second straight defeat, following their first Bundesliga loss of the season when they travelled to Borussia Dortmund at the weekend.

"We were particularly poor in defence," he said. "You have to be self-critical when you concede three goals against such a team. Obviously, something went wrong."

The shock defeat in Russia, coupled with Atletico Madrid's fifth straight win in their match against PSV Eindhoven, means Bayern failed to win their Champions League group for the first time since the tenure of Louis van Gaal in 2009-10.

Rummenigge added: "If you look at the goals we conceded, then perhaps we didn't deserve to win here.

"We simply squandered these points. If you score twice here, then you should normally win."

To add insult to injury, Boateng was substituted with a muscle problem just before the hour mark. However, the club indicated he will be fit for Bayern's next match.

"FC Bayern can count on Jerome Boateng for the match against Bayer Leverkusen this weekend," the club confirmed on Thursday.

Signed from Manchester City in 2011, Boateng has already suffered two serious muscle tears in 2016, restricting him to just 19 Bundesliga appearances last term. He also missed the start of this campaign after picking up an injury in Germany's Euro 2016 semifinal defeat to France in July.

He picked up a knee injury in the home draw with Hoffenheim at the start of November, which forced him out of Germany's final two internationals of the year. Having only started five of Bayern's 11 league games this term, he did return for the defeat in Dortmund, only to break down again in sub-zero temperatures in Russia.

^ Back to Top ^