Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes was smiling once more yesterday after his side's 7-1 win over Hoffenheim silenced the critics who had him down for the sack only a few days ago. Heynckes' side provided the perfect response to rumours the Bayern coach would be gone in the summer and the 66-year-old said it was a "joy to watch".
"We played a fantastic game," he said. "Our goals were right out of the textbook. It was a delicacy. We were on fire. My side were hungry and they were united and it was a joy to watch."
The win sets Bayern up well for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 clash with Basel on Tuesday. However, while the performance and scoreline were just what the doctor ordered, injuries to Mario Gomez (http://www.theinfostride.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=216784/index.html), Arjen Robben (http://www.theinfostride.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=184616/index.html) and Jerome Boateng (http://www.theinfostride.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=299442/index.html) provided the flip side of the coin.
Gomez and Robben both limped from the field while Boateng reported afterwards that he had taken a knee to his right hip. "It is not comfortable, but it is not too bad either," he said on the Bavarian club's website.
fifa.com