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David Alaba in Salzburg, the 14th Champions League victory in a row
Photo: Andreas Schaad / AP
A quarter of an hour before midnight, the FC Bayern team bus left the stadium in Wals-Siezenheim.
It went straight to the autobahn, 137 kilometers back to Säbener Strasse.
They have never been this close when they were traveling home from an away game in the Champions League.
Shortly before leaving, Hansi Flick said he had given his players off training for Wednesday.
"It is important to have time so that we can relax," said the coach.
Recovering from the game just played, which despite the 6-2 success was more intense than the sober look at the result suggests.
Relaxation, of course, from the strenuous program of the past few weeks - especially before the important game on Saturday in Dortmund (6.30 p.m., TV: Sky).
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"When is the trouble over?"
Hansi Flick in Salzburg
Photo: LUKAS BARTH-TUTTAS / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock
Flick looked as if he was looking forward to a completely different kind of relaxation.
Not having to hear any questions about David Alaba for a day.
Because the hiccups about the future of the defense chief was also the central topic around the game in Salzburg and even picked up speed there.
With the unclouded harmony in the penultimate month of the glorious triple year it is over for Bayern.
On Sunday, club boss Herbert Hainer announced that the offer to Alaba for a new contract had been withdrawn.
On Monday, the central defender's counterattack said he was "injured and disappointed" with the behavior of the club's management.
Flick had hoped that would be off the table for now.
But it wasn't.
Because on Tuesday shortly before the game, sports director Hasan Salihamidžić spoke.
And that caused even more confusion than clarity on some points.
Salihamidzic said of Alaba's accusation of first finding out about the withdrawal of the offer from the media and not from the club board personally: "On Saturday I spoke to his agent and on Sunday I tried to talk to David. I wanted to know what is going on. But there wasn't much left. "
Looking for a conversation?
But did he find it?
Had he spoken to him?
And what didn’t come much?
That remained nebulous.
All other statements indicated that due to the lack of a basis for discussion and the fact that the terms of the contract are too far apart, they will probably go their separate ways and will probably no longer find each other.
"But never say never in life and in football."
So is there still a back door?
Flick reacted visibly annoyed late Tuesday.
He left the sporting director's statements uncommented because he hadn't heard the interview and added: "I said everything I had to say."
Flick referred to the press round on Monday, in which had complained that the debate was now being held at the worst possible time.
Just before Salzburg, just before Dortmund.
A debate that Hainer had rekindled with his statement on Sunday, which is why there was hardly any mention on Tuesday that Bayern celebrated their 14th victory in a row in the Champions League.
That they are heading for group victory with great strides.
That Flick celebrated his 44th victory in the 48th competitive game exactly one year after taking office as the successor to Niko Kovac.
Instead, almost only the topic of Alaba.
Flick between the chairs
He was asked whether he had heard of a conversation between Salihamidžić and Alaba.
"No," he replied, "you'll have to ask one of them."
A very difficult situation for Flick.
On the one hand, the club with a board of directors who, from his point of view, has made it clear that one can neither be blackmailed nor wanted to be shown.
On the other hand, an offended player who feels misunderstood and treated unfairly.
And in the middle of it all, a trainer who has to moderate and keep the team on the road to success.
The fact that Flick raved about Alaba in the highest tones on Monday ("top player", "great person") and hoped to stay beyond the end of the season, and that he also indirectly criticized the president for the timing of his statements, suggests that that the relationship between Flick and the board of directors is about to undergo an initial stress test.
"We as a team are absolutely behind him"
Incidentally, like Flick, teammates clearly acknowledged Alaba, above all Jérôme Boateng.
"It's not an easy thing for him," said the friend and neighbor in central defense.
"But it is clear that we as a team are absolutely behind him."
That was clear.
Thomas Müller, on the other hand, tried to moderate the discussion with the ease that was given to him.
"It's also interesting when something stirs at Bayern," he said, "It's nice when it crackles a bit. I used to like to read that when I was talking about FC Hollywood."
Oh yes, there was also another game: Bayern did a tough job for a long time, after 79 minutes it was 2-2, then they scored four more times against tired Salzburgers.
However, there were sometimes large gaps in the defense, in the two goals conceded as well as in many other attacks by the opponent.
Before the game against Borussia Dortmund, Flick will be happy to answer questions about weaknesses in defensive behavior.
The main thing is no longer the argument about the future of Alaba.
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