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Nicholas Sule
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Sven Hoppe / dpa
National soccer player Niklas Süle has announced that he will not play FC Bayern Munich's last game of the season.
"Last Thursday, Julian Nagelsmann asked me if it would be okay if I wasn't in the squad against Wolfsburg.
He wanted to reward young players who will be with Bayern next season and let them go first," Süle told Sport Bild.
The 26-year-old joins Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer next season.
"So it was a decision of the coaching team, who didn't want me in the squad for understandable reasons," said Süle.
»On Friday, when Marcel Sabitzer was injured, shortly before departure, one of our assistant coaches said that I could come along if I wanted to.
But it's okay if not.
That was the story."
Before the championship celebration on Sunday, coach Julian Nagelsmann "said in front of the entire team that I hadn't done anything wrong," said Süle, "and that he was sorry for what this story was doing to me.
Everyone on the crew and around the team knows that I would never have let them down.«
"Catastrophic"
Bayern Honorary President Uli Hoeneß had previously sharply criticized the absence of the central defender.
“That doesn't speak well for the player.
If he talks about appreciation, then I would say he didn't appreciate the club.
I found this action catastrophic," said the 70-year-old on the sidelines of the Munich championship celebrations on Sunday.
Despite the impending farewell to top striker Erling Haaland, Süle is convinced that Dortmund have a chance of winning the championship next season.
"The people in charge showed me that next season we will have a squad with which it is absolutely possible to become German champions," he said.
"Otherwise I wouldn't have done it."
During his time at Bayern, he lacked the trust and appreciation of the club management, Süle continued: "That's what's very important to me, no resignation.
And no billing either.
I just want to explain how I felt.«
sak/dpa/sid