Trainer Julian Nagelsmann regrets the disappointing performance of the Bundesliga in the group stage of the Champions League, apart from FC Bayern Munich. The 34-year-old Bayern coach appealed for indulgence after the failure of Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and VfL Wolfsburg. “I would have been happy if many German teams were in the knockout phase,” said Nagelsmann after his Bayern 3-0 against FC Barcelona on Wednesday evening.
The German record champion is the sovereign winner of his group as the only German representative in the round of 16. Last season, all four Bundesliga clubs – Bayern, Dortmund, Leipzig and Borussia Mönchengladbach – survived the group stage. Nagelsmann also referred to the financially changed balance of power in international competition.
“Even as Bayern Munich we don’t have very easy prerequisites in top European football,” he argued. “That affects teams that are perhaps a tad lower in the ranking even more. It’s not that easy. So don’t hack it, but work together to ensure that it will be good in the future. Everyone can do their part, ”said Nagelsmann.
After the first Champions League stage was rounded off with ease in light Munich snowfall, Nagelsmann aggressively took on the role of fellow favorite on the handle pot with a view to his own team. The young coach wants to hold up the flag of the Bundesliga, which was badly plucked in the group phase, with FC Bayern in the knockout rounds until the final on May 28, 2022 in St. Petersburg.
“It is our aim to be one of the favorites. We want to win the Champions League, ”said the 34-year-old Nagelsmann after the clear 3-0 (2-0) against FC Barcelona on Wednesday evening. With 18 points and 22: 3 goals, the Bundesliga Primus played the best group stage of all 32 premier class participants, ahead of Jürgen Klopp’s FC Liverpool and Ajax Amsterdam, who also won all six games in their groups. “We did it well, totally sovereign”, praised Nagelsmann. “We have achieved the total yield and can be very satisfied,” emphasized captain Manuel Neuer.
Against the highly indebted and internationally dwindled to mediocre FC Barcelona, which failed miserably in the preliminary round in the first year after losing Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain and was relegated to third in the group behind Benfica Lisbon in the Europa League, Bayern had as before the most recent duels again easy game. “Somehow it slips against Barça,” remarked Thomas Müller, who initiated the victory with his 50th Champions League goal in the spectatorless arena. The very agile Leroy Sané and Jamal Musiala scored two more goals. “It was fun,” said Sané.
Of course, we immediately looked towards the knockout phase in the new year. Then you have to “show the same performance as in the group stage,” said Nagelsmann. Wanted or feared opponents for the round of 16, which will be drawn next Monday, neither the coach nor the Munich professionals wanted to name. “I’m curious who’s coming,” said Nagelsmann calmly. No matter against whom, the goal is clear anyway, announced national goalkeeper Neuer: “We want to get ahead.”
The possible Bayern opponents are of very different caliber. From the pot of runners-up, defending champions FC Chelsea and the Parisian star ensemble around Messi Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, Sporting Lisbon and RB Salzburg are possible opponents. The seventh possible opponent will only be determined this Thursday (7 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League and at DAZN) in the postponed game between Atalanta Bergamo and FC Villarreal. “We’re looking forward to the knockout round,” said Neuer.
The Champions League is once again a particularly valuable source of money for FC Bayern in the middle of the next Corona wave with repeated ghost games in Munich. After the flawless group stage with six wins and the move into the round of 16, the German champions in Europe’s premier football league have already earned € 78.42 million in UEFA premiums. In addition, there is another generous amount of millions from the so-called market pool. The exact amount will only be known at the end of the season.
As Bayern boss Oliver Kahn had only pointed out last weekend that his club had been “managing a pandemic” for almost two years. Every home game without spectators in the Allianz Arena means a loss of revenue of around 3.5 million euros. In this respect, the 2.8 million bonus for the 3-0 win in the last group game against FC Barcelona on Wednesday evening, which was no longer decisive, was an important compensation.
In the knockout phase, Bayern have more big paydays. UEFA would reward entry into the quarter-finals with 10.6 million euros, while a move into the semi-finals is worth 12.5 million. The final victory on May 28, 2022 in St. Petersburg will be rewarded with 20 million euros. Bayern could therefore raise well over 100 million euros in this premier class season with corresponding successes.
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