Champions League winner
Ex-Bayern star signs up in the third division
02/01/2026 – 02:54 amReading time: 2 minutes
Champions League winner in the 3rd league: Michael Tarnat takes over as sports director in Aue. Can he free the traditional club from the relegation battle?
Former national soccer player Michael Tarnat will be the new sports director at third division club Erzgebirge Aue. The 56-year-old will take office on Monday as the successor to Matthias Heidrich, who was released around three weeks ago, the club announced. Tarnat won the Champions League with FC Bayern in 2001 and was head of the youth performance center after his playing career with Munich and Hannover 96.
“We are pleased to have Michael Tarnat, an equally experienced and ambitious specialist, for our FC Erzgebirge Aue. He will receive all the necessary support from us in order to arrive as quickly as possible and to be able to make the right decisions in the future,” sports director Jens Haustein was quoted as saying in the statement.
In addition to the board of directors and supervisory board, Steffen Zahlt was also involved in the personnel decision as a consultant, it was said. After separating from Heidrich, Zahlt had temporarily supported the club’s management, but was not a candidate for the position that Tarnat is now taking over.
“I would like to thank you for your trust, look forward to the new task and would only like to comment in more detail once I have actually started the work,” said Tarnat. A first impression of the relegation-threatened table 16. The former defender can get the 3rd league in the test match against 1. FC Union Berlin on Monday in Aue.
During his playing days, the former left-back played 363 Bundesliga games for MSV Duisburg, Karlsruher SC, Munich and Hannover 96, he also played 19 international matches and was part of the German World Cup squad in 1998. Michael Tarnat won 13 titles with FC Bayern.