Monday in the RMC show “Team Duga”, Bixente Lizarazu returned in detail to an episode which, however, could very well have derailed his career in the great German club.
The 1998 world champion with the Blues successfully wore the Bayern jersey between 1997 and 2004, establishing himself as one of the best left-backs on the planet. When he started out in Germany, Lizarazu had to fight – literally and figuratively – before succeeding in winning in a club which at the time had many players of character and real “faces”.
Like Lothar Matthäus, captain of the German team world champion in 1990 and a real institution both in Bayern and in selection. “He never made mistakes, he was perfect,” said Lizarazu with a touch of irony on the broadcast by Christophe Dugarry, with whom he lifted the 1998 world champion cup in Paris.
Lothar Matthäus was an institution at Bayern Munich and with the German selection.
“It started with something stupid”
In August 1999, while Bayern still had a hangover after their mortifying defeat in the final of the Champions League against Manchester United conceded a few months earlier, the atmosphere was particularly tense in training. That’s when Matthäus, the ex-husband of the Swiss Lolita Morena, and Lizarazu grab each other during a “Toro”, a little game with a touch of ball appreciated by footballers to warm up.
“It started with something stupid,” said Lizarazu. “He tells me that it was I who made the wrong pass, and not him the bad control. He started to speak loudly. I replied, we got closer. He put my hand in my throat and I put a potato on him. ” Or when two world champions mark their territory …
Simple fine
An incident that could very well have meant the end of Lizarazu’s career at Bayern. “He has all the newspapers with him,” recalled the Frenchman to underline the untouchable status enjoyed by Matthäus at the time. Newspapers came straight to the Basque Country to see if I had a violent history. They came to investigate to find out if I was a weird guy. “
The coach of the time, who was none other than the former coach of the Swiss team Ottmar Hitzfeld, immediately summons the two strong heads for explanations. Supported by captain Stefan Effenberg, Lizarazu will ultimately be fined only. “It is true that that day, I had both the respect of Matthäus and also that of all my partners. This contributed to my taking my place at Bayern Munich, “said the Frenchman.
Sport-Center
Created: 22.05.2020, 08h28
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