The top Bundesliga game between Bayern and Dortmund takes place on Saturday. Coach icon Ottmar Hitzfeld coached both clubs. Before the cracker he talks about Bayern’s Julian Nagelsmann.
Coach icon Ottmar Hitzfeld defended Julian Nagelsmann. The criticism of the young Bayern Munich coach was “out of place. You can’t win all games. In my opinion, he does a great job and has a great personality. He’s the right coach for this team,” said Hitzfeld on Sky.
In the Bundesliga classic on Saturday (6.30 p.m. in the t-online live ticker) between his former clubs Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, Hitzfeld sees the record champions “still as a favourite. Bayern have an excellent team and they have made great transfers”. However, BVB could “gain a lot of mentality, sympathy and prestige in this game”.
Ottmar Hitzfeld (left) and Uli Hoeneß: The former Bayern President and the former coach in conversation. (Source: Sven Simon/imago images)
Bielefeld and staying up? “The opportunities are there”
In the league’s relegation battle, the former Munich champion coach will now follow Arminia Bielefeld’s games “with great interest”. After the dismissal of Frank Kramer, long-time Hitzfeld assistant Michael Henke joined the coaching team at Ostwestfalen.
According to Hitzfeld, “He owes a lot to Michael. He’s my friend, he was always loyal and well prepared. Michael has great expertise, he knows the Bundesliga very well, he cultivates personal relationships with the players and is a team player.” . For Bielefeld it will be “difficult to stay up, but the chances are there”.
Hitzfeld coached Borussia Dortmund from 1991 to 1997 and then became its sporting director until June 1998. He later coached the record champions for the first time from 1998 to 2004, and then for the second time from 2007 to 2008. Ottmar Hitzfeld was German champion five times with Bayern and also won the Champions League in the 2000/01 season. He also won the trophy twice with Dortmund and also won the handle pot with BVB in 1996/97.