Champions League news: Confusion replaced arrogance in the mind of Oliver Kahn yesterday as the Bayern Munich goalkeeper relived the moment when his mistake gifted Real Madrid a late Champions League equaliser on Wednesday night.
Kahn let a low, deflected free-kick from Roberto Carlos slip through his arms and legs for a present which provided the Spanish champions with a 1-1 draw to tip the balance of the tie their way. After the match Kahn left the Olympic Stadium in silence and he had no answers yesterday after training either.
"After something like that you want to escape, get out of the place as fast as you can," said Kahn. "I don't think I've ever been so fit in my life, I've never trained so hard, but something just isn't right." Last week another Kahn mistakes cost Germany a goal in their 2-1 win over Croatia in a friendly in Split . He added: "The best thing is to leave me alone. I will question myself and come up with the answers."
"Anyone who knows me realises that I will rise above it in the return leg. I will make it my responsibility to win the match in Madrid on my own."
Kahn's scowling demeanour has long irritated the Spanish media which took great pleasure in his mistake in the 2002 World Cup final when he spilled a Rivaldo free kick to present Ronaldo with Brazil's opening goal in their 2-0 win. He then angered Madrid fans in particular by pulling out of Real's centenary celebration match in December 2002 at 12 hours' notice.
Kahn's private life - he left his pregnant wife briefly last year for a nightclub hostess - and his national team rivalry with Arsenal's Jens Lehmann have made him a subject of controversy.
Kahn received votes of sympathy yesterday from Bayern officials as well as from Madrid's goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, who said: "Kahn's error was just one of those things . . . He is experienced enough to get over it."
Roberto Carlos said he had already turned away, expecting Kahn to complete the save, when the goal went in. He added: "I suppose the ball was moving quite quickly and being slippery made it difficult to save."
Bayern risk ending only their second season in nine years without a trophy since they are out of the German Cup and trail the league leaders Werder Bremen by seven points. But Kahn still has influential admirers including Bayern's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, their general manager Uli Hoeness and the coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.
Rummenigge said: "He's won so many things for us, he will win us the match in Madrid too." Hoeness excused Kahn on the grounds "something like that happens once in 100 years," and Hitzfeld added: "We shouldn't blame him too much because he's been our hero so often."
However, Bayern's president Franz Beckenbauer said: "I can only hope Kahn plays so well in Madrid he makes up for the mistake."
The ability of Kahn and Bayern to do that should not be lost on Madrid according to David Beckham. "I've been hearing for some time now that Bayern are in crisis," he said, "but when you play against then, you realise they are still pretty dangerous."
