Schweinsteiger: Bayern ´threw it away´

Bastian Schweinsteiger believes Bayern Munich must lift their game if they are to have any hope of catching Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund.

Schweinsteiger, 26, was left frustrated once again after his team gave away a one-goal lead and could only manage a draw away to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

The result leaves Bayern 14 points behind league leaders Dortmund and facing a mountain to climb as they try to defend their Bundesliga title.

“We threw it away in the first half,” Schweinsteiger said. “That shouldn’t be happening to a top team.”

Schweinsteiger had a strike ruled out by the linesman early on at the BayArena, a decision that left the Bayern captain almost as unhappy as his team’s inability to claim the win.

“I’m personally gutted abut my headed ‘goal’ after two minutes, because it was never offside,” he said.

“That would have been a fantastic start for us.”

“We dominated the first half but we’ve shot ourselves in the foot again and handed Leverkusen a penalty.”

“If we’re going to catch up, we have to start winning away from home. At the end of the day, the table doesn’t lie.”

“We have to look very hard at ourselves, it’s our own fault we’re 14 points off the lead.”

Bayern coach Louis van Gaal was equally frustrated, but he believes his side remain in with a slim chance of catching Dortmund.

“We played really well in the first half, but then we’ve gifted them a goal,” Van Gaal said.

“A top team has to be smart enough to defend the lead until half-time but we’ve fallen short.”

“We were the better team in the second half, so I think it’s a shame.”

“We’ve thrown away two points, like we did against Moenchengladbach.”

“We’ve not lost for nine games now, we’re playing better football, we’re scoring goals, but it doesn’t feel good when you fail to win.”

“This was another match we could have won.”

“I think we still have a chance of the title, but Dortmund obviously have the best chance now.”