Rummenigge mourned the former FCB star today - "Somehow it didn't fit"

Created: 12/20/2021Updated: 12/20/2021, 5:32 PM

By: Patrick Freiwah

Renate Sanches (left) moved to FC Bayern in 2016 for 35 million.

© IMAGO / ULMER press picture agency

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge raves about an ex-professional from FC Bayern.

However, it was not able to assert itself twice in Munich.

Jupp Heynckes is to blame for this.

Munich - The former connection between FC Bayern and Renato Sanches could have been much more successful.

At least that's what Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes, who has words of praise for the Portuguese who failed in Munich.

"He played a great European championship (title win 2016, d. Ed.), Was elected 'Golden Boy'", describes the record champions' ex-CEO.

As the 66-year-old

explains

in the

format

, FCB had to get the Portuguese despite the age of only 18 at the time, because Sanches was a "totally hyped player in Europe" and the Munich team had the chance of a commitment.

FC Bayern: Rummenigge on failed Sanches - And what role Heynckes played

For 35 million euros, FC Bayern was then awarded "which was a lot of money back then," as Rummenigge explains.

But "somehow it didn't fit," explains Rummenigge, blaming the relevant circumstances.

Accordingly, much more was possible - and Sanches only ended up at Bayern Munich * at the wrong time.

The Portuguese was under contract with FCB between summer 2016 and summer 2017 and from summer 2018 to summer 2019.

Between these two guest appearances on the Isar, a loan to Premier League club Swansea City did not help a breakthrough at club level.

As Rummenigge also describes in the conversation, it was mainly due to Jupp Heynckes that Renato Sanches did not make a big leap in performance at Bayern.

The reason: Bayern's cult coach * (and triple winner 2013) simply did not get the midfielder under his wing.

Shortly after Sanches was awarded to Swansea, the German series champion wanted to bring him back early in the fall of 2017, but that didn't work out: "I want to bring this player to the level he belongs to," was Heynckes' plan when this took over the office of Carlo Ancelotti.

“Unfortunately, due to FIFA's technical regulations, we couldn't get him back during the season,” Rummenigge explains.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in August 2021, with ex-Bayern coach Otto Rehhagel and Hermand Gerland (from left to right).

© Frank Hoermann / SVEN SIMON / Imago

FC Bayern: “Golden Boy” Sanches today top performers - but not in Munich

Before Sanches returned to Munich after the loan deal, Heynckes finally ended his coaching career at the age of 73 - so that a collaboration was no longer possible.

During that season, even under Niko Kovac, Sanches did not develop into the hoped-for reinforcement for the FC Bayern Munich squad.

However, he has now achieved his breakthrough at the Champions League round of 16 OSC Lille, crowned by the surprising title win in 2021 *.

Rummenigge raves about the former FCB professional, also speaks of his performance in the final group game at VfL Wolfsburg, where the Portuguese performed strongly and played a major role in the elimination of Lower Saxony.

Rummenigge suspects that Sanches would have played more convincingly under Heynckes in Munich.

"I think Jupp Heynckes and Renato Sanches would have been an exciting project," enthuses the former Vice President: "Then he might still play in Munich."