World Cup preparation: Dispute over players: DFB accuses FC Bayern of breaching their word

World Cup preparation
Dispute over players: DFB accuses FC Bayern of breaching their word

Angry about FC Bayern: Joti Chatzialexiou, sporting director of the national teams at the DFB. photo

© Jürgen Kessler/dpa

The DFB women’s preparations for the World Cup were already disrupted before they even started. FC Bayern let their players go later than planned by the national coach.

Mighty trouble with FC Bayern Munich overshadows the preparations of the German soccer players for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Joti Chatzialexiou, sporting director for national teams at the DFB, even spoke of a “breach of word” when the provisional 28-strong World Cup squad was announced.

National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg was visibly pissed off. It’s about the release of the five Munich players who are not allowed to travel to the training camp in Herzogenaurach on June 20 as planned – but only on June 23 after the veto of the German champions.

“Of course it messes up our preparation”

“I can’t play this topic five or six weeks before the World Cup starts. Not at this point in time when we had a clear agreement. When we talk about reliability, about trust,” said Voss-Tecklenburg and explained: “Of course it helps messed up our preparation – on many levels.”

The national coach and Chatzialexiou complained above all that, after many discussions, a written commitment had already been received from Munich to release the players on June 20th. There were also financial commitments. The rejection only arrived at the DFB on Tuesday evening. “The timing is just frightening,” said Chatzialexiou.

FC Bayern defends decision

Bayern defended their decision to later release the players, which was “essentially made out of consideration for their health”. The club explained this to the DFB “very precisely, verbally and in writing”.

The nominees Lina Magull, Sydney Lohmann, Lea Schüller, Carolin Simon and Klara Bühl are affected. The Munich Vice European Champion Giulia Gwinn (after a cruciate ligament rupture) and Linda Dallmann (after a syndesmosis rupture) will not be at the World Championships. Chelsea midfielder Melanie Leupolz is part of the squad just eight months after the birth of her son.

The first of two preparatory phases for the co-favourites for the World Cup tournament (July 20 to August 20) begins on June 20th. Test matches are still scheduled for June 24 in Offenbach against Vietnam and on July 7 in Fürth against Zambia. After that, the final squad will be nominated with 23 players.

FCB refers to FIFA recommendation

However, the world football association FIFA and the European club association ECA had also recommended June 23 as the start of the release period for national players. FIFA’s original date wasn’t even until July, which was due to the – often criticized – late scheduling of the World Cup tournament. FC Bayern also referred to the recommendation of FIFA and ECA and announced that Chelsea FC were also planning to release their German internationals by June 23rd. This would then also affect the England professionals Leupolz and Ann-Katrin Berger. The DFB said it was “in talks”.

According to Chatzialexious, the DFB had already written to the Bayern sports director Oliver Kahn and President Herbert Hainer, who had since been released, because he had received information about the changed constellation from Munich manager Bianca Rech. “I think that the players will have to pay for it in the end and sit between two stools,” said Chatzialexiou and criticized: “That is not appreciative of us and also disrespectful of the other clubs.” For the DFB, however, the process is complete and no further efforts will be made.

National coach relies on regular squad

The ten nominated players from VfL Wolfsburg around captain Alexandra Popp will arrive on June 20th, although their club is still playing the Champions League final against FC Barcelona on Saturday.

“We will try not to let the joy of the World Cup take away from us,” said Voss-Tecklenburg. She described it as very “unfortunate” that the ECA only took on this topic “very late”. The 55-year-old is largely relying on the trunk of the EM 2022 in England for Australia. In the preliminary round, the DFB women meet Morocco (June 24), Colombia (July 30) and South Korea (August 3).

dpa

source site-2