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Bayern Munich in the Champions League: Huch, already round of 16?

2019-11-07T06:40:49.135Z


Round of 16 secured early, but still whistles: The first appearance of Bayern after Niko Kovac was extremely tough. After the game Hasan Salihamidzic commented on the search for a coach.



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After 85 minutes it raged in the Munich Arena. The players of FC Bayern pushed against Olympiakos Piraeus in the defensive midfield the ball to as whistles sounded from the ranks. Not from the Greek guest block in the upper rank, but from their own fans. That a little later Ivan Perisic immediately after his substitution scored the 2-0 final score, the audience slightly softened, at the final whistle there was like applause, shortly afterwards the stadium emptied quickly.

It was a tough Champions League evening, which saw the spectators on Wednesday against Piraeus, in game one after Niko Kovac. An evening that also gave insights into how difficult the relationship between team and appendix currently is at Hansi Flick's premiere as head coach - regardless of the coaching debate.

Undoubtedly, the 2: 0 was highly deserved, the opponent was two classes worse, more three. With four wins from four games Bayern are sovereign leaders and already prematurely qualified for the knockout stages, only Tottenham could make the victory in Group B still in dispute. In addition, the Munich remained for the first time in almost seven weeks again without a clean sheet, actually all the best. But it was not really that good on Wednesday either.

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Bayern victory against Piraeus: Hansi in luck

Of course, no European Cup classic for the history books was to be expected, which left neither opponents nor table situation. Such games are played against Juventus, Real Madrid or FC Barcelona in co-games, not against Piraeus in the group stage. But especially against such opponents Bayern played earlier dominant, won sometimes with six goals. The spectators had a fun evening and were in a good mood.

That's what's missing right now. The fun while watching. Because there is no joke, because there is nothing to be amazed, no eye-opening experience. Whether under Kovac or now under Flick, who could not change everything from now on right away: All very nice passport stages, but without surprising element. The Bavarians do not inspire, they are rather bored. And that causes displeasure.

Flick is not a permanent solution

Of course, players and coaches found words of praise for themselves, Flick and Manuel Neuer declared, they had defended well and pressed high, they had wanted to play for the match against Dortmund on Saturday (18.30 clock, live ticker: SPIEGEL, TV: Sky). But as little meaningful as the game Bayern had for the duel in the title fight, it was clear after this evening that Flick will remain only an interim solution.

With a brilliant performance in which the team would have looked as if they had changed, Flick - crowned with a win on Saturday - might still have been able to hold on to his job, at least until the winter break. But not so first. Flick followed the game calmly. Once he sat, sometimes he stood, sometimes he clapped his hands. A lot of dialogue with his players? None.

Later that evening, Hasan Salihamidzic also stated that Flick was only "until further notice" coach of FC Bayern. How long that was, the sports director was asked. His answer: "For the time being." Whether Thomas Tuchel and Ralf Rangnick had canceled, he commented no more than possible negotiations with Arsène Wenger, only so much: "We want to choose in peace a coach who is the right one."

Hoeneß keeps out of the coach search

But then three statements made one sit up and take notice. First, after the question of whether the new must have German knowledge, as it was required since the expulsion of Carlo Ancelotti in the requirements profile of a possible Bayern coach? "No, no," Salihamidzic said, "he just has to fit in with the team." So José Mourinho? Massimiliano Allegri?

Secondly, the sporting director hinted that only Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and he choose the new coach and the one and a half weeks outgoing President Uli Hoeneß holds out for the first time in 40 years: "Uli Hoeness has given us the order."

And thirdly, he thwarted the club's official statement that Kovac had voluntarily asked for his resignation when, looking back at Sunday, he said: "We made the decision because we felt that the results, but also the way and Way the games were not satisfactory. " He tried hard afterward: "In agreement".

The most important game of the season for Bayern is now on Saturday. It is a test of endurance for the team, but also for the fragile relationship with the audience. A loss to BVB, then they have within a week not only lost the coach, but once the fans.

Source: spiegel

All sports articles on 2019-11-07

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