Coach Alexander Straus also sees the surprising departure of national player Lina Magull as an opportunity for the FC Bayern Munich footballers.
“We have to refresh the squad and open the door to younger players,” said the Norwegian on Tuesday: “We are in a transformation process. We want to build the next team that is very successful.”
Former captain Magull joined Inter Milan in the winter after five successful years in Munich. “It’s a natural process, we can’t keep every player,” said Straus. Magull, whose contract would have expired in the summer, was “a great player and a great personality, but she wanted to try something new. That’s life.”
Former national player Maximiliane Rall (Chicago Red Stars) also left the club; Bayern would have liked to extend Magull’s contract. But it’s “not a computer game. It’s people you work with and the players have to be happy too,” said Straus. They wanted “a new challenge because it might be their last chance.”
He wishes the two of them “the best,” said the coach, who will be playing in a competitive game for the first time this year with Bayern in the important Champions League away game on Wednesday (6:45 p.m./DAZN) at AS Roma: ” When big players leave the club, it’s always a bit emotional. We still get along well.”