Football: 'Intense 2020' - Flick's excuse for Bayern's form

Bayern Munich head coach Hansi Flick said on Friday that the German giants have "quickly put aside" Wednesday's shock DFB-Pokal exit. Bayern, 20-time DFB-Pokal winners which included triumphs in the past two seasons, were stunned by second tier Holstein Kiel and exited the competition at the second round stage following a 6-5 penalty shoot-out defeat. As he referenced an "intense" 2020, Flick was philosophical about the loss and said sometimes there are periods "where you are not quite at your optimum level." Flick's side return to German Bundesliga action on Sunday at home to Freiburg. Bayern could enter that match having been pushed off the top of the table, should second-placed RB Leipzig win at Wolfsburg on Sunday.