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Bayern Munich attack Chelsea and label Abramovich 'oil mafia' who 'stinks to high heaven'
By Steve Goodman
Last updated at 4:57 PM on 08th August 2008
The German champions accused Blues owner Roman Abramovich of being part of an 'oil Mafia' and claimed his methods of funding the Stamford Bridge club 'stink to high heaven.'
And Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness lamented the way how Chelsea's riches have helped them gatecrash the Champions League elite, insisting he would relish the chance for his club to defeat them.
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Under fire: Uli Hoeness has slammed Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
Russian oligarch Abramovich has bankrolled the West London club on an epic scale since his arrival five years ago.
Since then Chelsea have won two Premier League titles, and regularly figured in the Champions League's last four - losing the final against Manchester United last season.
By contrast Bayern, who won the European Cup three times between 1974 and 1976 and again in 2001, have endured a barren recent spell in Europe.
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And 56-year-old Hoeness declared: 'Thanks to the huge investments many clubs make, there are no longer any serial European Cup winners similar to Ajax and Bayern in the Seventies.
'The old hierarchy has been abolished. A better-balanced competition sounds tempting, but I don't know whether the investments have been good for football.
'I get annoyed every week when I go to fill my car up with petrol. The oil Mafia is taking money out of my pocket to invest it in footballers.
'To my mind this stinks to high heaven, and this applies to Mr Abramovich among others.
'He is certainly no friend of mine. This Mafia controls the entire world, and manipulates the price of oil. I won't stand for it any longer.
'What can we do? We simply have to defeat teams like Chelsea on the field of play.
'That would give us great satisfaction.'
Bayern are Germany's richest and most successful club, and are once again expected to win several trophies this season.
But former Bayern and Germany striker Hoeness admitted: "It is pointless for us to set ourselves major targets.
'We could reach the quarter-finals in the Champions League, and then come up against Barcelona, Real Madrid or Chelsea.
'Then all of a sudden we're knocked out. The pressure on us now is higher than ever.'
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By Steve Goodman
Last updated at 4:57 PM on 08th August 2008
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The German champions accused Blues owner Roman Abramovich of being part of an 'oil Mafia' and claimed his methods of funding the Stamford Bridge club 'stink to high heaven.'
And Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness lamented the way how Chelsea's riches have helped them gatecrash the Champions League elite, insisting he would relish the chance for his club to defeat them.
Scroll down for more
Under fire: Uli Hoeness has slammed Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.Russian oligarch Abramovich has bankrolled the West London club on an epic scale since his arrival five years ago.
Since then Chelsea have won two Premier League titles, and regularly figured in the Champions League's last four - losing the final against Manchester United last season.
By contrast Bayern, who won the European Cup three times between 1974 and 1976 and again in 2001, have endured a barren recent spell in Europe.
More...
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And 56-year-old Hoeness declared: 'Thanks to the huge investments many clubs make, there are no longer any serial European Cup winners similar to Ajax and Bayern in the Seventies.
'The old hierarchy has been abolished. A better-balanced competition sounds tempting, but I don't know whether the investments have been good for football.
'I get annoyed every week when I go to fill my car up with petrol. The oil Mafia is taking money out of my pocket to invest it in footballers.
'To my mind this stinks to high heaven, and this applies to Mr Abramovich among others.
'He is certainly no friend of mine. This Mafia controls the entire world, and manipulates the price of oil. I won't stand for it any longer.
'What can we do? We simply have to defeat teams like Chelsea on the field of play.
'That would give us great satisfaction.'
Bayern are Germany's richest and most successful club, and are once again expected to win several trophies this season.
But former Bayern and Germany striker Hoeness admitted: "It is pointless for us to set ourselves major targets.
'We could reach the quarter-finals in the Champions League, and then come up against Barcelona, Real Madrid or Chelsea.
'Then all of a sudden we're knocked out. The pressure on us now is higher than ever.'
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