Saturday 24th July 2021
Because he was sixties
Nagelsmann calm despite insults
In his first home game as Bayern coach, Julian Nagelsmann is exposed to hostility from some fans. They take his past with local rivals TSV 1860 wrong. But the 34-year-old reacted calmly. The friendly against Ajax ends in a draw.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann reacted with great serenity to the insults from a few fans at his home game premiere for Bayern Munich. “I stand for tolerance and openness and let everyone live according to their taste. Not everyone has to applaud that I was with the city rivals,” said Nagelsmann after the 2-2 (1: 1) against Ajax Amsterdam.
A group of no more than 20 supporters in the south curve behind the fan club banner “Munich’s Red Pride” and a lion from 1860 Munich in the crosshairs shouted several times: “Nagelsmann, you pig, back to TSV!” The former Leipzig player was a player (2002 to 2007) and youth coach (2008 to 2010) at sixty, but is considered a Bayern fan.
“I noticed it, it wasn’t that full,” said Nagelsmann about the calls in the arena, which was only sparsely filled with 8,500 spectators due to the pandemic: “I know the rivalries in the city and in football, but I’m not a big fan of rivalries . ” Everyone can shout what they want, added the 34-year-old and emphasized: “How you express yourself, everyone has to deal with their conscience. You can’t make everyone happy. You just have to be able to do certain things.
The roster is far from complete
Even after his home game premiere for Bayern Munich, the new Bayern coach is waiting for his first victory at the German record champions. One day after his 34th birthday, the Munich team, who played without a large number of the stars, drew against the Dutch title holder Ajax Amsterdam.
Substitute captain Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (40th) and defensive talent Tanguy Nianzou (48th) scored for Bayern. Zakaria Labyad (10th) and Victor Jensen (50th) were successful for Ajax. “In the first half we could have got more goals, in the second we played very well and had some high ball wins when the established players were still there. Overall, considering the squad, that was absolutely okay,” said Nagelsmann at RTL.
As in the 2: 3 in the first test against 1. FC Köln, Nagelsmann was missing 15 professionals who were in action at the European Championship or who are injured. Serge Gnabry, who started training as the first tournament participant, sat in the stands – like 8,500 fans who were re-admitted for the first time since March 2020. “It only really starts when the squad is complete,” said Nagelsmann, who promised Gnabrys to play for “20 minutes” in the next test against Borussia Mönchengladbach next Wednesday.
Many jumped up to cheer shortly before the break, but Joshua Zirkzee had the ball stolen in front of the empty goal (44th). “Hopefully he’ll be a little more serious in a Bundesliga game. But I don’t have to talk to him, he’ll know that himself,” said Nagelsmann. Dayot Upamecano, who as the new head of defense is the only one from the test squad planned for the starting eleven, had bad luck with a bar header (47th).
After a good hour, Nagelsmann, who played in 4-2-3-1, replaced all ten field players. None of the newcomers were older than 20. There are two more tests pending before the competitive start on August 6 with the cup game at the fifth division club Bremer SV: In addition to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Wednesday, it will be against SSC Napoli next Saturday.
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