Hansi Flick takes a deep look: there is a surprising amount going on at FC Bayern

Sunday 31st January 2021

Hansi Flick looks deeply
There's a surprising amount going on at FC Bayern

By Tobias Nordmann

There are plenty of stories worth telling about the extremely sovereign success of FC Bayern against TSG Hoffenheim. It is about a unlucky fellow, a super talent and outstanding ex-world champions who are not addressed by the national coach.

Thomas Müller didn't know who was watching him on Saturday afternoon from the empty grandstand of the Allianz Arena in the very convincing victory of his FC Bayern against TSG Hoffenheim (4: 1). And if Thomas Müller hadn't been told who this someone would have been, Thomas Müller probably wouldn't have noticed either. Well, the man Thomas Müller didn't know he was watching was Joachim Löw. Yes, actually, the national coach attended a Bundesliga game. And then there is also one that does not take place in Freiburg. There are things. And if that wasn't unusual enough, one would hardly be astonished if Löw had something surprising to say to Müller.

Crashing spoiler: It didn't. Löw's quote on the national matter with the file number "DFB / Comeback / Müller / 2021" reads: "There is nothing to say – now!" Well, many people see it colossally differently. Because Müller, there is no need to fiddle around with that, is simply playing a very strong season. The 31-year-old scored his tenth goal against Hoffenheim, who had shown Bayern 4-1 in the first leg. Just as impressive: he prepared ten goals. Now it was of course not the case that Loew had come to disappear. Löw had come to talk to an FC Bayern player about a nomination for the national team.

Just don't lose both defensive bosses

Crashing spoiler (II): It wasn't Jérôme Boateng either. He added another convincing work sample to his application portfolio for a new contract with the record champions. Not only because of his spectacular 1-0 header, which the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" recognized as a slam dunk goal. No, no, this Boateng won every duel against the Hoffenheim team. And because a very good man like Andrej Kramarić plays at TSG, Boateng's figure is impressive. Coach Hansi Flick would not have needed this proof of work (but of course he still gladly took it with him) in order to know how important the 32-year-old is still for FC Bayern. For weeks, the coach has been emphasizing his appreciation for the ex-world champion. Perhaps a little more vehemently since it seems clear that he will lose his defense chief with David Alaba.

To see both pillars of central defense break away is unacceptable for Flick. And not for FC Bayern either. Especially since neither Niklas Süle nor Lucas Hernández are currently in the area of ​​the undisputed core force. In truth, they are quite a long way away. Immediate aid for the coming season seems almost on the way. Both Munich and RB Leipzig confirm that there are negotiations between the record champions and Dayot Upamecano. The Frenchman is allowed to leave Saxony in the summer for a fixed fee of allegedly 45 million euros. A lot of money, especially in troubled times of pandemic. For this reason, too, it seems all the more sensible to keep Boateng and not invest further in external staff. Club boss Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently announced that they wanted to talk to the 32-year-old. And such a center with Upamecano and Boateng, that sounds damn buffalo.

So, back to Löw. So he had a need to talk. With Jamal Musiala. He's 17 years old and, if you will, a super talent. Probably the largest in the current FC Bayern squad. The problem for Löw: Musiala was born in Germany, but also has an English passport. And he is currently playing with him for the junior national teams of the "Three Lions". The national coach does not want to accept that and therefore makes a powerful eulogy. "He is an exceptionally great talent, absolutely," said Löw of "Bild am Sonntag" and enthused directly: "He is particularly valued in Germany and at Bayern. I think he knows one way or another that I want to nominate him The decision is up to him. " According to the "Bild" newspaper, Löw met with Musiala and his mother after the game against Hoffenheim.

Bavaria's unlucky fellow is rehabilitating

Musiala only played 21 regular minutes and a few more in added time. He didn't have too many remarkable things to add, the game had already been decided. By the way, Musiala came for Marc Roca. Again, that is quite astonishing. Because the Spaniard, whom the Munich-based company had collected in the last-minute shopping frenzy last summer, has rarely had a chance so far. Before this game there were two appearances in the Bundesliga, two in the Champions League and two in the DFB-Pokal. In the league there was nothing relevant to report, in the premier class he convinced against RB Salzburg with his ball security and overview – before he saw yellow-red. But the Spaniard is actually a bit more unlucky: In the cup embarrassment against second division Holstein Kiel, he messed up the decisive penalty (even if he was not badly shot).

Against Hoffenheim he managed to restore his good reputation. In any case, Flick was very satisfied with the 24-year-old: "He has shown that he can do well with possession. He did a good job and set a good example." In view of Leon Goretzka's compulsory Corona break, he may get more opportunities to show himself in the next few games. And convince. This would also improve the last-minute shopping balance of sports director Hasan Salihamidzic a bit. Because neither Roca, nor Bouna Sarr, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting or Douglas Costa have been able to convince so far. That is also why there were tender demands from Flick this winter, possibly still to do something on the squad. However, the situation between the coach and the sports director did not escalate as it did last winter when they argued about the media.

On Saturday, Flick once again indicated that things are more professional than friendly between the two. After speculation about tensions between him and Salihamidzic, the coach pointed to the main goal of the cooperation at Bayern. "At the end of the day, it's about the two of us aiming to make the team as successful as possible and of course we have different discussions every now and then, that's part of it." Both of them know exactly what they have in the club and what the club expects from them. "That means that together we will keep this team on the road to success. That is the task, that is our claim and we will implement it." Salihamidzic had previously described the relationship as "completely normal".