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Thomas Müller (left) with teammate Joshua Kimmich
Photo: IMAGO/Fotostand / Dostmann / IMAGO/Fotostand
Thomas Müller took his short assignment for FC Bayern in the top game at the start of the Bundesliga quite easily.
Even after his late substitution on Friday evening, the 33-year-old offensive man only showed understanding for national team colleague Serge Gnabry in the 83rd minute.
"Everyone has to submit to the team, that also applies to me," said Müller after the 1-1 draw at pursuer RB Leipzig.
When asked if he would have preferred to come on earlier, he also replied: "Basically, you're always ready, you're ready for anything."
Overall, he is "in good contact and exchange" with coach Julian Nagelsmann.
In the press conference before the game, he emphasized: "Thomas is an extremely important and significant player for me, we are very much in exchange." They are both very communicative people, Müller added on Friday.
"We talk openly with each other."
Despite everything, he was "of course eager to collect minutes," explained Müller, who looks back on a difficult half-year with an unusually large number of breaks.
The last time he played in the Bundesliga before his brief spell in Leipzig was on September 30 in a 4-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen.
This was followed by a game in the DFB Cup and two games in the Champions League before he had to take a break before the start of the World Cup.
"Thomas knows the situation in the team, everyone knows it," said Bayern's sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić about the competition.
"Anyone who performs well will certainly play."
see/dpa