Bayern furious as Brazil pair to miss final

BERLIN (AFP) –

Bayern Munich’s Brazilian defender Dante celebrates at the final whistle after their victory in the UEFA Champions League final football match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at Wembley Stadium in London on May 25, 2013. Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has branded it “unacceptable” that Luiz Gustavo and Dante must miss Saturday’s German Cup final.

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has branded it “unacceptable” that Luiz Gustavo and Dante must miss Saturday’s German Cup final after the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) blocked them from playing.

Champions League winners Bayern play VfB Stuttgart at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on Saturday and are bidding to become the first German team to win the treble of European, cup and league titles.

But defensive midfielder Gustavo and centre-back Dante are unavailable having been told they must report for Brazil duty on Saturday, two weeks before the start of the Confederation Cup, the 2014 World Cup warm-up, to be held from June 15-30.

Rummenigge said the players have been told their Brazil careers will be over if they failed to report with the Selecao before Saturday’s deadline, set by world football’s governing body FIFA.

“I would have liked to have had a debate about it. I find it inhuman, ruthless, unfair and unacceptable,” said Rummenigge, having described the pressure put on the players by the CBF as “psychological terror”.

Bayern had even spoken to Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, but to no avail, and Rummenigge said while they had tried to find “a friendly, amicable solution”, the CBF held their ground with Dante and Gustavo due to fly home on Thursday.

“We sent back a polite letter and made our position clear,” said Carlos Alberto Parreira, the CBF’s technical director, with Brazil due to play a friendly against England in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

Rummenigge also insisted the “original mistake” had been by the German Football Federation (DFB) for organising the final on June 1, amidst FIFA’s window of international friendlies.

“Bayern Munich can’t do anything, we are compelled to comply,” fumed Rummenigge.

Both Dante and Gustavo had met in vain with Rummenigge, coach Jupp Heynckes and director of sport Matthias Sammer in a bid to find a solution.

“I had the impression that there is a kind of psychological terror being exercised, it would mean the end of their national careers if they did not arrive in time,” said Rummenigge.

“What that means for the Brazilians and their relationship to their national team, one can only imagine.”

Rummenigge also criticised FIFA for drawing up the calender: “It’s all about the national bodies, nothing for the clubs and players”.

Bayern vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger said the situation was “madness” for the Brazil pair involved.

Bayern are particularly annoyed at the CBF’s stand point as Javi Martinez, who will play for Spain at the Confederation Cup, has been allowed to finish the season and will join the Spanish squad next week.