BERLIN, May 15: Defeat for Bayern Munich against Chelsea in Saturday’s Champions League final would hit German confidence ahead of Euro 2012 next month, national team coach Joachim Loew said on Tuesday.

Bayern, who lost to Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup final last week, are eyeing their fifth European crown when they take on Chelsea in Munich. Eight of Bayern’s squad will then join the national team, preparing in Italy, on May 25.

“If they lose again in a final, after their league and German Cup losses, in their own stadium ... then disappointment would be great which I think would mean I would need to give them (Bayern players) two or three more days to process that,” said Loew. “They would then need a bit longer to find their motivation but they would find it. Because the Euros are also a huge target. But a defeat would be, I think, a bit of a low blow for us.”

Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer, defenders Holger Badstuber, suspended for the final, Jerome Boateng and Philipp Lahm as well as Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Mueller, Toni Kroos and Mario Gomez have been called up for the tournament co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine.“To win the Champions League title would be important, it would be an historic achievement,” Loew said.

“That would be super for our players because they would join us fully motivated and would find their rhythm immediately because of that motivation.”

The German squad will arrive at their team headquarters in the Polish city of Gdansk on June 4, five days before their opening match against Portugal in Group B, which also features Denmark and the Netherlands.—Reuters