Marcel Sabitzer was unable to meet the high expectations at Bayern. He is now hoping for more playing time at Manchester United.Image: dpa / Sven Hoppe
Football International
Marcel Sabitzer’s Bundesliga career was characterized by constant ups and downs: In Leipzig’s first season in the Oberhaus, he was runner-up (2017) and Sabitzer was crowned Austria’s footballer of the year. The following season was marked by injuries (2018) before he really got going again and even became captain of RB in 2020.
A year later he made the leap to FC Bayern Munich, where he fell short of expectations in his first season. Only in the first half of the current season was he able to show his advantages over Leon Goretzka, but ultimately lost this comparison as well.
Bayern is now loaning the 28-year-old to Manchester United until the end of the season, where midfielder Christian Eriksen injured his ankle two days earlier. In view of Sabitzer’s Bundesliga career, the experts in England are arguing about the potential of the new signing.
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Paul Merson calls Sabitzer a “fourth-rate panic buy”
For ex-Arsenal professional Paul Merson, the matter is clear: “On January 1, there was no interest in [Sabitzer]”He remembers on “Sky Sports”. Then Eriksen got injured, “and now there is panic and you get a fourth-rate Bayern player“, judged the 21-time England international.
Paul Merson played 377 games for Arsenal and 143 for Aston Villa. imago images / geoff martin
Merson is certain that a player sitting on the bench at Bayern cannot help United. “Sure, the two in midfield [Kimmich und Goretzka] are a bank. But if Sabitzer was really good, he would push,” Merson believes.
Rio Ferdinand is certain: “Bayern won’t commit any losers”
ManUnited legend Rio Ferdinand sees it very differently. “I am delighted with this transfer,” he explains on his YouTube channel “Vibe with FIVE”. “If I had had to sign an Eriksen replacement at short notice, I would have gotten Sabitzer too.”
TV expert Rio Ferdinand has high expectations of Marcel Sabitzer.Image: newscom / Darren Staples
Contrary to Merson’s doubts, Ferdinand’s assessment is not based on the last year and a half, but on Sabitzer’s time with lawn ball sports. “I saw a lot of him when he was in Leipzig and he played sensationally,” says Ferdinand. “He was essential to everything they did there.” Therefore he is sure: “[Sabitzer] will prove to be a stroke of luck for Manchester. You couldn’t have picked a better one.“
On this occasion, Ferdinand cannot resist commenting on the criticism of his expert colleague Merson: “Bayern Munich don’t sign any failures,” emphasizes the former central defender. “Sound to me [Mersons] statements after someone who [Sabitzer] never saw it play,” the Englishman speculates.
November 13, 2022 was a day the football community in Germany had longed for: For the first time ever, an NFL regular season game was played on German soil.