Bayern Munich defender Joshua Kimmich says his side must earn its nobility despite the exit of manager Niko Kovac.
Kovac was sacked by the Bundesliga champions after their shock 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday which left them fourth in the table, four points behind leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach.
“We must pull ourselves together, we have no alibis anymore,” Kimmich told a news conference on Tuesday ahead of their Group B match against Olympiacos.
“An excuse from the coach no longer exists. It’s not so easy for Hansi, he hasn’t had a lot of time. The main responsibility now lies with the players.”
Bayern have had a far smoother ride in the Champions League than in the Bundesliga and they lead Group B with nine points from three games, knowing a victory on Wednesday will seal their place in the Champions League last 16.
Caretaker coach Flick revealed he will start veteran players Thomas Mueller and Javi Martinez against Olympiakos and said one of his priorities was to correct the team’s defensive problems.
“The goals we conceded recently were not ‘Bayern like’ but today we trained today like we want to play,” Flick said.
“Of course, you can’t change everything immediately, but it’s also about the selection with perhaps one or two tactical changes. Mueller is important for the club and has won everything. He can sweep the team along and lead them.
“The team needs to be active and take the initiative, we need to show the quality we have in the squad.”