Manuel Neuer caused a stir at FC Bayern with his interview in the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” and on “The Athletic”.Image: www.imago-images.de / imago images
Bundesliga
Summer will be back in less than a week. In the top game of the Bundesliga (February 18, 6:30 p.m.), FC Bayern and their new goalkeeper will be visiting Borussia Mönchengladbach. For the Swiss, it will be the first encounter with his former club.
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann currently has no time for such puns, because until then there are still the mandatory tasks against Bochum (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.) and in Paris (Tuesday, 9 p.m.).
In the first half of the season, Bayern bit their teeth off Yann Sommer. Now he plays for Munich himself.Image: AP / Michael Sohn
After three draws at the start of the year, the record champions have only just gotten back on track, and now it’s up to Nagelsmann to keep calm in the team. As the “Picture” reported, he has already eliminated a disruptive factor during the week.
The watson app for your smartphone
Debate with Manuel Neuer: differences “addressed and cleared up”
Accordingly, a discussion between Nagelsmann and Manuel Neuer has already taken place. After his goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalović was kicked out, the DFB keeper caused a stir with an interview that was not agreed with the club management.
Goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalović (left) was a close confidant of Manuel Neuer.Image: dpa / Matthias Balk
As a result of the interview, it was speculated that Nagelsmann had a significant part in Tapalović’s sacking, which would further strain the already strained relationship between coach and captain. In addition, Neuer is said to have been bothered by the fact that Nagelsmann is constantly looking for dialogue with Vice-Captain Joshua Kimmich, while he only plays a minor role in his plans.
Now Nagelsmann is said to have sought dialogue with Neuer. In a one-to-one conversation, the differences were “addressed and cleared up”., as the “Bild” reports, so that professional cooperation is also possible in the future. For the time being, however, Neuer will be busy with rehab after breaking his leg and will not be able to help the team for the time being.
Neuer faces a fine of more than one million euros
Neuer’s discussion with the Bayern bosses is still pending. At a board meeting on Tuesday, board boss Oliver Kahn, sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić and club president Herbert Hainer agreed to only summon the goalkeeper for a report after the important game against PSG.
Kahn (right) and Salihamidžić probably didn’t like the Neuer interview at all.Image: www.imago-images.de / imago images
The Bayern bosses also took the opportunity to discuss possible consequences for Neuer’s behavior. “There was absolutely no question of terminating the contract,” Hainer has already revealed. However, a large fine is possible.
As the “Picture” reported, this contractual penalty could even amount to more than one million euros. That would be record-breaking. For comparison: Ex-Bayern captain Philipp Lahm had to pay a fine of “only” 50,000 euros in 2010 after an interview that had not been arranged.
Philipp Lahm caused a stir in 2009 with an interview in the “Süddeutsche”.Image: imago sport photo service / Stanislav Krasilnikov
Since then, however, the clauses in player contracts, which form the legal basis for such sanctions, have been revised. At the time of Philipp Lahm, absolute figures (e.g. 25,000 euros) were still in the contract, but now the club has the option of withholding a whole gross monthly salary from the player as a penalty. Since Neuer, according to “Bild”, collects more than 20 million euros a year, such a sanction could hit him particularly hard.
Fredi Bobic is a man of the so-called football establishment. Men like him are basically “above any doubt”.
