As head of the DFL, Hans-Joachim Watzke has once again rejected repeated calls for the 50+1 rule to be abolished.
It is “no longer necessary to discuss 50+1,” said the 63-year-old picture on sunday: “Because there will be no change in Germany under my responsibility as DFL supervisory board chairman in the next few years. That’s one hundred percent certain.”
Watzke, also managing director at Borussia Dortmund, reacted to an advance by Uli Hoeneß, among other things. The honorary president of Bayern Munich had recently warned that the Bundesliga – with the exception of his club – would lose touch internationally under 50+1.
Watzke at odds with Hoeneß statements
“The fascinating thing about Uli Hoeneß’ argument is that he suggests something to other clubs, but then explicitly excludes FC Bayern – this time in relation to giving up 50+1,” said Watzke, whose opinion was “different”: “Not only Frankfurt’s success in the Europa League proves me right, but also the Champions League, which Real Madrid won – a crystal-clear 50+1 club in which the president is even elected by the members.”
The 20 most valuable players in the Bundesliga*
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PLACE 20: Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen): 45.0 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 19: Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig): 47.5 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 18: Andre Silva (RB Leipzig): 49.0 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 17: Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund): 50.1 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 16: Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern Munich): 53.0 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 15: Lucas Hernandez (FC Bayern Munich): 54.0 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 14: Kingsley Coman (FC Bayern Munich): 60.0 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 13: Leon Goretzka (FC Bayern Munich): 62.5 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 12: Dayot Upamecano (FC Bayern Munich): 65.5 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 11: Jamal Musiala (FC Bayern Munich): 67.0 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 10: Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig): 67.2 million euros © Imago
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9th PLACE: Serge Gnabry (FC Bayern Munich): 69.0 million euros © Imago
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8th PLACE: Moussa Diaby (Bayer Leverkusen): 71.0 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 7: Sadio Mane (FC Bayern Munich): 75 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 6: Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig): 82.1 million euros © Imago
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PLACE 5: Alphonso Davies (FC Bayern Munich): 83.6 million euros © Imago
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4th PLACE: Leroy Sane (FC Bayern Munich): 88.0 million euros © Imago
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PLATZ 3: Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen): 91,2 Mio. Euro © Imago
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2ND PLACE: Joshua Kimmich (FC Bayern Munich): 93.8 million euros © Imago
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PLATZ 1: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund): 111,2 Mio. Euro © Imago
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Claims that no success is possible with 50+1 were described by Watzke as “the greatest nonsense”. In the Bundesliga, for example, many clubs “have done a great job with their opportunities. On the other hand, there are a number of international investor clubs that have not yet won the Champions League despite inexhaustible sources of money.”
Watzke: The Bundesliga hasn’t lost its reputation
The Bundesliga has not lost its international reputation either – although Sadio Mane’s move from Liverpool to Munich in England was sometimes dismissed. Former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders had said Mane would tackle the Bundesliga “in third gear” and “with a cigar in the chair”.
“There are always some arrogant idiots like in this case,” said Watzke: “As a board member of Europe’s club association ECA, I know that German football still has a good reputation.”
*Stand 1. April 2022
SID
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/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/madsack/CX2MKRQVIBBBDL3GJ7GWMV6UYE.jpg "Events, birthdays and days of death on Monday, June 27th, 2022")