Thomas Müller refuses to completely write off Bayern Munich's season and has urged an all-out effort on Tuesday in the Championships League at Arsenal after their domestic campaign turned from bad to worse.
Bayern blew a two-goal lead as they were stunned 3-2 by promoted Heidenheim on Saturday for back-to-back Bundesliga defeats and a 16-point deficit on leaders Bayer Leverkusen who are expected to clinch a maiden title next weekend.
Bayern now travel to Emirates Stadium for a first leg quarter-final, knowing that Europe is their only chance to avoid a first season since 2012 without any silverware. The return leg is a week later in Munich.
"With my many years of experience, I'm already in fighting mode for Tuesday. It's no good us picking on each other. We'll give it our all on Tuesday," Müller insisted.
The veteran forward played his 700th Bayern match in Heidenheim and was part of the Bayern team that beat Arsenal three times in knock-out ties between 2013 and 2017.
But Mikel Arteta's Gunners appear much stronger this term and underlined their Premier League title credentials with an impressive 3-0 at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Bayern's main hope is that they have appeared stronger in the Champions League than in Germany where their setbacks also include a second-round Cup exit against third division Saarbrücken.
Club officials expect a reaction like the team showed in its 3-0 win over Lazio last month in the last 16.
"We're playing a very important game on Tuesday. Everyone has to examine themselves. It's bitter and really disappointing, but we now have to build our energy up again before Tuesday," sporting director Christoph Freund said.
"We all know that we can do things differently than today, and must."
Coach Thomas Tuchel will remain in charge, with board member for sport Max Eberl saying "it is absolutely clear for me that he will be on the bench on Tuesday and on Saturday against Cologne."
Tuchel will be leaving in summer, and club leaders are rather looking at the players and their attitude, with Freund saying that losing in such a way as on Saturday "can't be our standard.
"Every player should look at themselves in the mirror afterwards and think about whether they gave it their best," Freund said.
Eberl suggested there was a feeling of "it'll work out somehow" within the team after the narrow Bundesliga title win in 2023.
"Last year it did work out somehow. We're where we are and that's seven points ahead of fifth place. We should get rid of this arrogance around the fact that we're only second. We should first of all make sure that we come second," he said.
Müller, for his part, said "we still have the Champions League" as he called for unity.
"If at all, I would only launch in to a general criticism once we really don't have anything left that is worth fighting for," Müller said.
