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Niklas Süle was the focus of the defeat in Frankfurt
Photo:
Arne Dedert / dpa
Niklas Süle was on the ground when he had to be rescued by Manuel Neuer.
Shortly before, the Bayern defender Filip Kostic ran away in the back, Süle was still trying to catch up with the Serbian and parry his shot with a tackle.
But he wasn't fast enough.
To his apology, I have to say that Süle is not at home in the right-back position - where the 25-year-old had to play against Eintracht.
And that there are currently easier tasks in the Bundesliga than being sent into a running duel against the outstanding Kostic.
And yet such a direct comparison shows how much Süle is currently missing from its old class.
How far it is from its own turbo drive.
From Süle, sprint speeds of almost 35 kilometers per hour are usually handed down, in the 2018/2019 season he was the sixth fastest player in the league.
This season, however, Süle only ranks 109th in the speed ranking.
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Süle at the Club World Cup: hardly any time to relax
Photo: Colin McPhedran / MB Media / imago images / MB Media Solutions
He's running after his form, and Süle is partly responsible for why Bayern have already conceded 31 goals after 22 matchdays, which is only one less than in the entire previous season over 34 rounds.
In any case, it was thanks to the rescue act of Neuer that Eintracht did not provide that 32nd goal against Munich in the 90th minute.
Critical voices from above
Before the first leg in the Champions League round of 16 against Lazio on Tuesday evening (9 p.m. / live ticker SPIEGEL.de; TV: Sky), FC Bayern have had very varied days.
The trip to the Club World Cup in Qatar, then a 3: 3 against Arminia Bielefeld, the 1: 2 bankruptcy against Frankfurt, the Bundesliga has become a bit more exciting again.
The Munich team won their sixth title of the season in Doha, but then left five points in the league.
"That is an unusually high amount for FC Bayern," said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in the ZDF sports studio on Saturday.
"What is written doesn't give a shit"
Niklas Süle on the criticism of him
The Bayern boss also took his appearance as an opportunity to talk about Niklas Süle.
First he blamed him for the 2-0 draw against Eintracht when Süle Frankfurt's Amin Younes had left too much space and time.
Süle was also directly involved in at least two goals against Bielefeld.
Actually, he has been the focus of the entire season, in December the criticism had become so loud that he publicly defended himself.
"It doesn't matter what is written," said Süle.
But meanwhile there is also increasing headwind from within our own ranks.
Coach Hansi Flick, who is actually considered to be the great player who understands the game, has often been made clear.
Rummenigge now said on ZDF about a possible contract extension with Süle: “If we can find a solution, we are generally happy to extend the contract.
But that will only be possible under certain conditions. "One will see" what the results of the talks will lead to ".
These are remarkable sentences, and a cautious hint that it won't be easier for Süle with the signing of Dayot Upamecano in Munich.
The cruciate ligament rupture, tight schedule, the consequences
This development was not foreseeable some time ago.
Süle was considered the upcoming number one in central defense of FC Bayern and the national team.
When the record champions signed him from Hoffenheim in 2017, he got a five-year contract.
Süle is strong in passing and tackling, he defends very cleanly and gets by with almost no fouls.
He became a regular player in Munich, after the disastrous World Cup in 2018 he was also included in the DFB selection under Joachim Löw.
Everything seemed to work out just as the people of Munich had hoped.
But in football there is seldom anything straight forward.
This is especially true for top talents, they can develop excellently if they stay healthy.
In November 2019, Süle suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament - and the previously good development was interrupted.
Usually this injury takes a six-month hiatus and Süle was given the time to get back to the team.
It was not used again until the Champions League tournament in August the following year in Lisbon.
The only problem: Since then, FC Bayern has played almost continuously, there is hardly any time to relax, process mistakes or work on the basics.
However, this is essential for a very long time after severe injuries.
The longer this season lasts, the bigger the problems at Süle seem to be.
Alone: That is not surprising after a cruciate ligament tear.
FC Bayern does not have a Süle crisis
A good year ago it was said that Süle was one of the winners of the corona crisis.
So he could still go to EM 2020, which will not take place until next summer due to the pandemic.
This assessment is rather weird when you consider that many people from other areas of life are suffering severely from the pandemic.
But if you only concentrate on professional sport, Süle now looks more like a loser of this time.
National coach Löw sat in the stands at the Bayern game in Frankfurt and he will have noticed how overwhelmed and exhausted Süle appears these days.
Mentally and physically.
The weight at Süle has always been an issue, he is not exactly a friend of renunciation.
These days he doesn't seem well trained.
Another problem arises for Süle at this time.
Even with his 25 years of age, he is not yet the announcer in the defense.
This became particularly clear against Bielefeld, when the calm Süle defended alongside the even calmer Lucas Hernández.
The communication didn't work, the coordination was bad.
Süle was always good when he was allowed to defend alongside David Alaba or Jérôme Boateng.
If there was an axis that gave him support.
Alaba is not the constant of the preseason, he will leave the club in a few months, and Boateng's future is uncertain.
And Thomas Müller, who was last missing due to a corona infection, is also missing insofar as he always gives the Munich loudspeaker on the field.
Summer additions like Marc Roca and Bouna Sarr have not yet been strengthened.
FC Bayern is currently experiencing a communication and power crisis, and Niklas Süle is also contributing to this.
Only: The club does not have a Süle crisis.
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