Munich (dpa) – “Next question.” Hansi Flick commented just as little on Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s word of power as on the question of his future.
In the nerve-wracking days when FC Bayern Munich is threatened with the bitter Champions League end, Flick now only wants to focus on his “great team”. After CEO Rummenigge asked him and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic to stick together, Flick revealed his future approach after an appeal for his team, his coaching staff and himself.
«I try to solve the whole thing or to work together in such a way that it is in the interests of the association. Anything else in the way of interference does not come from me and I will not comment on it in the future, “said Flick. He certainly admitted that he was also “partly to blame”. But now he is focused on the future. The request for the next question will therefore be heard in the future for questions about things outside of sport and team.
A king-class knockout on Tuesday (9 p.m.) could ensure that the tense situation at the triple winner quickly escalates despite the Rummenigge demand and the Flick project. The personnel situation is alarming before the quarter-final second leg at Paris Saint-Germain and the game in the Bundesliga this Saturday (3.30 p.m. / Sky) against 1. FC Union Berlin.
After the injured world footballer Robert Lewandowski and the corona-infected Serge Gnabry, Niklas Süle will also be out of the game against Kylian Mbappé, Neymar & Co. due to muscular problems. With the missing Leon Goretzka (muscular problems) and Lucas Hernández (bruise) against Union, Flick hopes that they can help in Paris to get through after a 2: 3. Then Alphonso Davies, who is banned from the league, will also be there.
The first leg against PSG gives “courage” for the second leg, said Flick, who wants to successfully master a small anniversary first. Against Union in the 200th Bundesliga game, 148 as a professional and then 52 as a coach, the table leadership is to be further consolidated. “But of course we will also make sure that we control the load,” said Flick. But he doesn’t have too many possible variations, especially since Marc Roca is injured as well. Tanguy Nianzou, who has been injured for a long time, could make a debut in the starting line-up.
Roca and Nianzou are two of a total of seven newcomers who could not raise the squad of the triple winner to the level of the previous season. “Last year we had a team that – and everyone knows that and everyone will agree with me – was qualitatively better than the team this year,” explained Flick. Squad planning is a key area of responsibility for Salihamidzic.
But you also lead the Bundesliga table with this team with a seven point lead and you still have the opportunity to advance in the Champions League with better exploitation of chances, said Flick.
For further titles, everyone should stick together at Bayern, who were eliminated in the DFB Cup – Rummenigge demands. «We all have to pull together and work together harmoniously, loyally and professionally. That is my clear requirement for the sporting leadership. That has always distinguished FC Bayern, ”he said in“ Bild ”. “We need calm and a focus on the essentials.”
The impetus for Rummenigges’ attempt to be able to work calmly on the home straight of the season was the recent friction in the premier class first leg. Salihamidzic had confirmed shortly before kick-off that Jérôme Boateng would not get a new contract with Bayern in the summer. Flick didn’t like that. “I also have to answer questions professionally here. I don’t have to answer everything now, because I don’t want to, either, ”said Flick. «I have to act a bit there too. It is also part of the coaching job. ” But now only the team counts in the decisive days. Otherwise: next question.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210409-99-141546 / 3
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