Thomas Müller has created clarity and confirmed it at FC Bayern. The 35-year-old is now becoming important again and is on a last big mission.
Julian Buhl reports from Augsburg
On Saturday evening, Thomas Müller still defied the reports about his decided out at FC Bayern. Demonstratively in a good mood and grinning, after the 3-1 win with the record champion in Augsburg, he strolled through the catacombs of the arena. He looked over the reporters waiting in the mixed zone and said. “Questions? Some! You always know everything without asking!” He added with a wink: “It was an important victory, and otherwise we stay nice and relaxed.” He didn’t say more and disappeared into the night towards the team bus.
The morning after, Müller created facts. In an emotional and directed letter, which he spread about his channels on social networks (you read more about this here), he confirmed what had become more and more apparent in the past few days: the 35 -year -old world champion from 2014, who switched to the youth team of the record champions in 2000, will no longer receive a new contract with Bayern after 17 years of professional.
After a lot has been speculated about his person, “I would like to take the opportunity to provide clarity with this letter to you,” he wrote: “Even after all the years, regardless of my minutes of play, I still have a lot of fun standing on the pitch with the boys and together for our colors to fight titles. I could have imagined this role well next year.” But, Müller continues: “However, the association has deliberately decided not to negotiate a new contract for the next season with me.”
Müller emphasized that “this did not meet my personal wishes”. The same applies that he “has not liked the back and forth in public for the past few weeks and months”. Similar to a football game, it was important to “recapture the ball with team unity after a bad pass. In the past few days, we have also achieved this in trusting conversations in this matter.”
Müller deliberately turned the view to the front. In the coming weeks of the season, he will finally take on an absolute key role again. Because Jamal Musiala in Augsburg injured himself after his important equalizer to the meantime 1: 1 on the left thigh and therefore had to be replaced, Müller inevitably puts on much more.
The veteran, who recently only played a supporting role with head coach Vincent Kompany, suddenly becomes important again. Even more: As a substitute for his teammate almost 13 years old, he is even urgently needed.
Müller was already substituted in Augsburg for the Musiala, supported by two supervisors and led by the field, in the 54th minute. He left the stadium without crutches, but his left leg strikingly pulled behind him. An assignment in the important quarter-final first game on Tuesday (9 p.m. in the live ticker at T-Online) against Inter Milan Castle sports director Max Eberl immediately. Finally, at Musiala, there was a muscle bundle tear and thus a week -long forced break. The certainty in the form of exactly this bitter diagnosis communicated by the club followed on Saturday afternoon (read more about this here).