Bundesliga
Eberl starts at Bayern: a guest in the stands with many tasks
Max Eber is the new sports director of FC Bayern Munich. photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
Max Eberl’s term at FC Bayern begins with an anniversary. The new sports director has many tasks ahead of him. The stars don’t just have a duty in Freiburg.
Experienced when taking office at FC Bayern Max Eberl a very special game. His new employer will be playing in the Bundesliga for the 2000th time this evening (8:30 p.m./DAZN) at SC Freiburg. The record champions are the first club to reach this mark in history.
“The goals are initially to get the most out of this season. There are enough games in the Bundesliga, and we are also in the hunter role in the Champions League,” said Eberl. “There are big tasks waiting for us, including finding a coach for the summer.” To do this, it is important to build a squad together with sports director Christoph Freund that can celebrate success. “I’m here to collect titles.”
Squad questions: Who is untouchable, who is under scrutiny?
Eberl wants to see top performances from the stars in the remaining 17 games of the season – and passion in any case. “We look at which players give FC Bayern the heart and soul to achieve their short-term goals,” said Eberl.
A number of players around captains Manuel Neuer and Thomas Müller, striker Harry Kane and super dribbler Jamal Musiala are inviolable for the framework in the new season. After a turbulent start as the new Bayern defender, Minjae Kim has big plans for his second year in Munich. Midfielder Aleksander Pavlovic has also been in the spotlight.
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Bouna Sarr, whose contracts expire at the end of the season, will have to find new clubs. The contracts of Joshua Kimmich, Leroy Sané and Alphonso Davies expire in summer 2025. If both sides do not extend the contract together, FC Bayern could collect a big fee for the last time in the summer. There is speculation about a move to Real Madrid for Davies.
Numerous contracts of Bayern stars are dated until June 30, 2026. Here too, those responsible will think about their future. The application period under Eberl begins with the Freiburg game.
Coach search: Alonso, Zidane, or, or, or
Thomas Tuchel’s contract ends early in the summer. The coach and team did not have the success they had hoped. Eberl has to find a coach who fits into a club with a world-class reputation and at the same time has family-like characteristics.
Ideally, the new coach speaks German or English, but in the end the language is “not an exclusion criterion” for Eberl. There has already been speculation about French football legend Zinédine Zidane, Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso and VfB Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß. But these are just three of the many names that have been circulating recently. New ones are added practically every day. “We want to find a coach who fits Bayern Munich, including the ideas of Christoph Freund and me,” said Eberl.
Transfers: New players – CEO is hopeful
New stars should also come. “We want to celebrate sustainable sporting successes. That’s why we try to operate with foresight in the transfer market,” said CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen.
Coach Tuchel had complained that the squad was not adequately staffed in some positions. Due to injuries, he often had to improvise and assign players unfamiliar roles. Those in charge and fans are now hoping that Eberl will show a golden touch in the transfer market – as he often showed at Gladbach. “We need stars, but we also need young, hungry talent,” said the 50-year-old.