At least Thomas Tuchel still had the gallows humor. A 0:3 in Leverkusen, the rival pulls away – and then a player who actually belongs to FC Bayern also scores.
“There is a rule in England,” said Tuchel after the game: “If you loan players out, they are not allowed to play against you. I think that makes sense, because I have experienced that too often. That the player of all people then plays against hits me.”
Josip Stanisic ensured that the word “of all people” was used extensively on Saturday evening. The Munich native who was loaned out to Leverkusen last summer – it was a criticized transfer because it meant Bayern’s personnel on the right side of defense became very thin.
Stanisic now plays on Leverkusen’s right side, was completely free there in the 18th minute and scored to make it 1-0. Stanisic was later asked on Sky whether he wanted to prove that he had Bayern caliber that evening. “Yes, you can say that,” he admitted, “that wasn’t in my head the whole time. But of course: when you go out on loan, you believe that maybe you don’t have what it takes. I wanted to Of course, prove to myself that I have what it takes.”
FC Bayern: Loan player Stanisic is getting going at Bayer
The loan to Leverkusen didn’t initially go perfectly for the Croatian international, he spent a lot of time on the bench, but that has changed since shortly before Christmas. Since then, Stanisic has been in the starting line-up six times in a row and scored his first goal of the season in the top game.
“He always gave it his all,” says Leverkusen defense chief Jonathan Tah about his colleague, “that’s why I’m very happy that he played an outstanding game.” And Stanisic could return to Munich as German champion in the summer.