Bayern set for cash windfall despite Euro failure

Despite being handed a “football lesson” by Barcelona, Bayern Munich still stand to pocket at least 45 million euros (59m US dollars) from reaching the Champions League quarter-finals, it was revealed on Wednesday.

“We must use the money to make a point of improving our squad for next season if we want to go further than the Champions League quarter-finals,” said Bayern boss Jurgen Klinsmann after his side’s exit.

Bayern were hammered 4-0 in their first-leg defeat at Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium before midfielder Franck Ribery restored some pride as the Germans drew 1-1 with the Spaniards in Tuesday’s second leg in Munich.

Munich fans carried banners demanding “Klinsmann Out!” before the second-leg game and the Bayern boss was booed by his own fans before kick-off.

After the Barcelona debacle, Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer described his side’s first-half display as the worst in the club’s history, while club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge admitted they had been taught a “football lesson”.

But despite their humiliation, Bayern are laughing all the way to the bank and will receive 12m euros (16M US dollars) alone from UEFA for reaching the last eight of the Champions League.

On top of that they will get 20m euros (26m US dollars) from the sale of TV rights here in Germany and a further 13m (17m US dollars) from television revenue, which does not include ticket sales for their home Champions League matches.

Klinsmann is keen to sign a fourth forward to complement current first-choice pair Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose as well as Croatia striker Ivan Olic, who will leave Hamburg for Bayern at the end of the season.

“We need three quality forwards and maybe a fourth,” he said.