Before the Champions League game in Copenhagen, sports director Christoph Freund (46) commented on two important personnel details at FC Bayern.
Could soon be on the field together again: Manuel Neuer (left) and Jerome Boateng. IMAGO/ActionPictures
When FC Bayern took the field in Copenhagen on Tuesday evening, Sven Ulreich was standing between the posts. But that could apparently change in the next premier class game. “It would be a nice story, I wouldn’t rule it out,” said sports director Christoph Freund before the game on “Prime Video”. After the international break, Bayern will play Galatasaray away in Istanbul on October 24th.
The keeper has not been on the pitch since his skiing accident last December, in which Neuer suffered a broken lower leg. Last Thursday he completed part of the team training for the first time. “He’s trained with the team two or three times now and hasn’t had any problems,” said Freund, who reiterated that “things are looking good for Manuel.” People are being careful and paying attention to load control, “but if things continue like this over the next ten days, we hope that we will see him back on the field in the stadium soon.”
The Bundesliga game against SC Freiburg next Sunday definitely comes too early for Neuer, after which the international break awaits. A comeback afterwards is not impossible, says Freund. Three days before the duel with Galatasaray, Bayern plays in the Bundesliga against current bottom team Mainz 05. Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel recently announced that “we can talk about when he will be in goal” as soon as Neuer is back in full team training. But then things could “happen quickly”.
Friend about Boateng: “I’m not a lawyer”
Things could also happen quickly when it comes to Jerome Boateng’s personnel. The decision should be made this week as to whether the 2014 world champion, who is currently training at Säbener Straße, will sign with the record champions. Recently, however, there has been a lot of criticism about the interest in Boateng, who recently had to stand trial for assault and insult. Ultimately, however, the conviction was overturned.
For this reason, “the presumption of innocence applies,” said Freund, defending his interest in the 35-year-old defense attorney. The process should now be reopened, then “we will certainly have to re-evaluate the situation,” said the sports director, but added: “We cannot pre-empt it. I am not a lawyer and I do not want to pre-empt any court.”
Either way, a commitment from Boateng, if it comes about, is “not a typical Christoph Freund transfer.” During his previous position at RB Salzburg, the Austrian was known for signing young talents with development potential. However, there is currently “a special situation” due to the staff shortage in central defense, says Freund. “The criterion was: we had a need.”
2023-10-03 20:46:40
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