By Klaus Bergmann and Michael Brehme Nov 4, 2009, 11:22 GMT
Munich - Louis van Gaal tried to put a brave face on it but Bayern Munich's home loss to Girondins Bordeaux in the Champions League has sent shockwaves through Germany's biggest club.
The 2-0 defeat at the Allianz Arena Tuesday night is only the second time Bayern have lost at home in Europe's premier competition by two clear goals but, more importantly, it leaves the club almost certain to miss out on the tournament's lucrative knockout stages.
'We haven't been eliminated yet, we still have a small chance,' said Van Gaal, trying to find light where there was none.
While victory secured qualification for Bordeaux, Bayern languish in third spot on four points, four adrift of second-placed Juventus.
Bayern now need to win their next two matches, at home to Maccabi Haifa and away to Juventus, as well as hope that Bordeaux turn over the Italians in France.
'The hope is there but it is hard to believe that it will happen,' admitted Bayern defender Philipp Lahm.
Only once before, in 2002, have Bayern failed to make the knockout stages, and questions are being asked of Van Gaal, not least because Juergen Klinsmann was shown the door six months ago despite leading his side into the round of 16.
Results under the Dutchman, who took over the helm in the summer, have been even worse than when Klinsmann was in charge, but so far chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and club manager Uli Hoeness have stood behind the coach.
The next test for Van Gaal is Saturday's visit of Schalke 04, who sit fourth in the Bundesliga, two points clear of sixth-placed Bayern and just two behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
More ominously, Schalke were the last team to beat Bayern at home in the league, a 1-0 win last April.
Magath will no doubt tell his players that Bayern's confidence is at a low ebb, something Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc admitted he used to his side's benefit.
'We noticed that Bayern were low on self-confidence and we took advantage of it,' said the former French international defender.
Van Gaal pointed to the absence of midfield star Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben's lack of fitness following a knee injury as reasons for his side's poor start to the season, culiminating in Tuesday's loss.
'We know that we are lacking in creativity,' said Van Gaal. 'We weren't good enough.'
The question is whether Rummenigge and Hoeness will remain silent for much longer if another spineless home defeat follows against former Bayern boss Magath at the weekend.
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