Confused, the goalkeeper struggled for words. Giving the interview obviously gave him little pleasure. “Bielefeld fought for the last chance. It was a game that went forward for both sides – it’s not really clear yet,” he said, admitting: “One and a half goals are on me.” That was on April 18, 1998, and the goalkeeper, who spoke as captain, has his hands full again in his role as CEO of FC Bayern. Also with finding the right words.
This time it’s about the disappointment of being knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals by underdogs Villarreal. Five days after the shock that shook FC Bayern’s self-image, Oliver Kahn would happily do without a similarly turbulent Bundesliga game in Bielefeld on Sunday as it was almost exactly 24 years ago when Lothar Matthäus scored with his scissors in the 89th minute. minute saved the Munich team at least a 4:4.
In the midst of the processing of the end against Villarreal, many eyes are directed towards Kahn and also to sports director Hasan Salihamidzic. In some comments, Kahn has been criticized for taking note of the end with a rather businesslike equanimity, at least that’s how some observers felt. The 52-year-old is accused of weak leadership and the question of a strategy for the future is raised, for which Kahn has declared the goal of being among Europe’s top four despite new financial powerhouses.
“FC Bayern has always distinguished itself by coming back stronger after setbacks,” assisted President Herbert Hainer via picture-Zeitung and promised that in the coming season they would “attack with all their might again in the Champions League”. The media offensive by Kahn’s predecessor Karl-Heinz Rummenigge also turned out to be interesting.
Nagelsmann does not see the reasons in the quality of the Bayern squad
The retired former CEO recommended “that everyone in the club limit themselves to their competencies. Things such as contract extensions are a matter for the board of directors and the supervisory board,” said the 66-year-old. Coach Julian Nagelsmann was just as attracted by this as by Rummenigge’s assessment: “The elimination is not due to the quality of the squad.”
Nagelsmann was deliberately relaxed on Friday. After such an out there is “pleasant criticism or very unpleasant ones,” he said, “that from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is quite easy for me to cope with.” He couldn’t live as well “with the 450 death threats on Instagram,” said Nagelsmann, adding that they increased after a tactic with a chain of three and were sometimes directed against his mother. Salihamidzic’s family had previously made it public that he was receiving death threats.
At the same time, Nagelsmann reported on a very good phone call he had with Kahn on Thursday. It was about the squad of the future. “We’re very good at planning. Now it’s time to implement it, which isn’t that easy,” said Nagelsmann. Also because the hoped-for income from the Champions League is missing, which makes squad plans and sporting goals more difficult to implement.
Nagelsmann called it a “vicious circle” and FC Bayern must now decide: “Do I take a bit of a risk in terms of investing to compensate for things.” If you don’t take the risk, “the probability of reaching the semi-finals is also lower,” said Nagelsmann. The end saw at least one advantage like this: “Now we have a little more time to think about the future.”
At the same time, in Bielefeld it is about finding your way back into everyday life in the Bundesliga and “converting the sadness into verve”, as Nagelsmann put it. Anything but a win at Arminia, who were threatened with relegation 24 years ago, would be like the next rotten Easter egg for Munich. What makes Bielefeld dangerous? “Our situation right now,” said Nagelsmann and at the same time reminded of Bayern’s duty to do their job with a view to the upcoming championship title.
By the way, before their wild 4:4 on the Alm on April 18, 1998, Bayern had also been eliminated from the Champions League in the quarter-finals. Not against the yellow submarine from Villarreal, but against the yellow Dortmunders, which didn’t make it any more pleasant from a Munich point of view. FC Bayern did not become German champions back then either, but the newly promoted 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
At least something that daring can’t happen to Munich this season. And to become champions for the tenth time in a row, one win from the remaining five league games would be enough for them. Not in Bielefeld, but on Saturday against second-placed Dortmund.