Dortmund exit seals German failure

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) -- Eight months after Germany reached the World Cup final, none of its teams has advanced into the quarterfinals of a European club competition.

The worst German showing in Europe since the 1983-84 season came despite Borussia Dortmund's 1-0 win at AC Milan in the final rotation of the second group stage of the Champions League on Tuesday.

For the first time since the 1956-57 season there is no German representative -- including the old West and Eastern separated countries -- in the last eight of any European club competition.

Because Real Madrid also won 1-0 at Lokomotiv Moscow, the nine-time champion advanced at the expense of Dortmund, the 1997 winner of the most prestigious club competition in Europe.

"It would become a crisis only if this trend continued for five years," Dortmund coach Matthias Sammer said of the German failure. "The Italians went through the same thing last season and they are now a lot better," he said.

AC Milan and Juventus Turin have qualified for the quarterfinals, Inter Milan could do it with a victory at Bayer Leverkusen later Wednesday. Lazio Rome is in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Cup.

The early ouster by all Bundesliga clubs means Germany will not make ground in the UEFA's five year evaluation system. That determines how many international berths are given a league and it's based on how its teams have done in Europe over that period.

Next season, Germany will have two direct places in the Champions League, plus another one possible through qualification, along with two automatic UEFA Cup berths.

"The biggest bust in 20 years, it's all over," said the mass-circulation newspaper Bild. "When they start playing for the most important cup in Europe in the next few weeks, we can only watch. It's very painful for millions of fans."

The Bundesliga's European troubles are the result of a down year, but also some unexpected developments.

Bayern Munich reached the Champions League quarterfinals six straight years, winning the trophy in 2001, then shockingly was ousted in the first round this season, although it is leading the German league by 13 points.

Bayer Leverkusen was last year's losing Champions League finalist, then collapsed this season. Its hopes of advancing were small enough, but the club long ago began tanking its Group A second round matches to concentrate on fighting relegation.

Hertha Berlin had one foot in the UEFA Cup quarterfinals, then fell victim to a goal against Portugal's Boavista seven minutes before end and was bounced.

And Dortmund conceded an injury time equalizer by Real Madrid, otherwise the German team may have been in the last eight instead of Real.

Germany's RTL television, which has free TV rights for the country, now wants to get out of the obligation to show one Wednesday match live, since no German teams are involved. The broadcaster angered UEFA last season when it didn't show live the semifinal between Real and Barcelona. RTL already has said that it might drop the rights because it is losing money on Champions League broadcasts.

 

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