In the aftermath of their worst Bundesliga defeat in seven years, Bayern Munich travel to Spanish league leaders Barcelona for the 8 April UEFA Champions League quarter-final match with coach Jurgen Klinsmann insisting their whole season is at stake. Defending German champions Bayern were crushed 5-1 at new Bundesliga leaders Wolfsburg on 4 April, with strikers Edin Dzeko and Brazil's Grafite both scoring second-half braces in the match. Despite having Italian FIFA World Cup™ winner Luca Toni and French play-maker Franck Ribery in the side, Bayern struggled badly and Klinsmann is demanding an immediate improvement at the Nou Camp.

"To me it is vital that everyone understands what hinges on this next game: the entire season and the future of Bayern Munich," said Klinsmann.

Klinsmann said he had insisted the team watch a repeat of the Wolfsburg defeat last night and had then addressed them "calmly and quietly, but with a clear threat that there must sometimes be consequences for such defeats." It was not the first time this season that Bayern have conceded five goals, as Werder Bremen beat them 5-2 at Munich's Allianz Arena in September, and Klinsmann says the shame of another hammering burns inside him.

"After what has happened in Wolfsburg, this simmers," said the 44-year-old. "After such a disappointment, a fury burns down inside me." Klinsmann said he sent his side home on Saturday night "with the clear message" that "we risk losing the German league title, which we cannot permit ourselves to do. We can still win everything, but we must re-think."

The Wolfsburg defeat was Bayern's heaviest since they were hammered 5-1 by Schalke on 26 January 2002. They are now fourth in the table and three points behind leaders Wolfsburg, while Barcelona are six points clear at the top of Spain's La Liga, having won 1-0 at Valladolid on 4 April.

"For the last ten months, I have held things together. Now it is the players' turn," said Klinsmann."I have asked them to pull themselves together for the sake of Bayern Munich."

Klinsmann admits his side are no longer favourites to retain the title they won last year with a ten-point lead at the top of the league, but says the game in Barcelona will be "difficult, but not impossible". Captain Mark van Bommel said the players needed to take a long and honest look at themselves before venturing into the cauldron of the Nou Camp.

"The coach is right, we need to analyse ourselves. Whoever is weak in the head does not belong at Bayern Munich," said Van Bommel.

Bayern look set to be without Brazilian captain Lucio, who picked up a groin strain in the defeat at Wolfsburg, but his place is likely to be taken by Argentina's Martin Demichelis. The Bavarian giants are already missing striker Miroslav Klose, the top scorer at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, who has an ankle injury. Ribery and German international fullback Philipp Lahm are carrying knocks, but both are expected to play.