End for club legend? Eberl comments on the Müller case: "It's not a one-man show"

dpa

3.4.2025 - 18:00

Bayern's sporting director Max Eberl has to deal with criticism time and time again.
Bayern's sporting director Max Eberl has to deal with criticism time and time again.
Picture: dpa

Augsburg, Inter Milan, Dortmund: Two crucial weeks await FC Bayern. However, the debate about club legend Thomas Müller overshadows the sporting side of things.

DPA

No time? blue News summarizes for you

  • Ahead of the landmark games against Augsburg, Inter Milan and Dortmund, the discussions surrounding the possible departure of club legend Thomas Müller are overshadowing the sporting challenges at FC Bayern.
  • Sporting director Max Eberl comments on the "special situation" at a press conference and makes it clear: "We make decisions together. And I deliberately say: We! It's not Max Eberl."
  • Between the lines, Eberl lets it slip that he massively dislikes the "anticipation" of decisions and assessments by the media and experts.

On the pitch, Bayern's man of the week will once again only have a supporting role. At the record champions, everything revolves around Thomas Müller. Will he stay? Is he leaving? Who will announce what and when? The future of the 2014 world champion is currently overshadowing the particularly important sporting weeks in which Munich want to keep their title chances in the Bundesliga and Champions League alive.

There is plenty of potential for conflict in dealing with the record-breaking player. Right in the middle of it all: Chief Sports Officer Max Eberl as FC Bayern's chief squad planner. The man who has already spent many millions on new contracts for Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich, Alphonso Davies and Manuel Neuer is coming under increasing pressure - and also avoided making a clear statement on the Müller case ahead of the game at FC Augsburg on Friday (8.30pm).

Eberl: Success is above all else

Has the departure of the original Bavarian in the summer really already been decided, as reported by "Kicker"? Eberl grumbled. "I'm not going to talk about Thomas here, we're talking to Thomas," the 51-year-old replied to the very specific question of whether the 35-year-old Müller would definitely not be given a new contract with his eternal employer.

The Bayern boss expressly pointed out that the Müller personnel matter was not an Eberl solo effort either. "We make decisions together. And I deliberately say: We! It's not Max Eberl! It's not a one-man show! It's a club that makes decisions! I do my job for the greatest possible success of this club. And that is above everything, above every person, every employee and every player." Even above a Bayern icon.

"A very special situation"

"Thomas Müller is a very special person. It's not just any player, but a great FC Bayern player," said Eberl. Eberl rejected accusations that there was a lack of gratitude towards the original Bayern player and fan icon Müller. "Gratitude is always there" - also in view of the highly remunerated contracts at FC Bayern. Müller has so far been one of the top earners. And the Bundesliga giants actually want to massively reduce costs.

How much is a part-time player worth who has a special value as a team member beyond the pure playing time and could also play a role at FC Bayern after his professional career? "Thomas is a very special situation," Eberl also knows. But: "I've already had some players who have shaped a great era, where at some point you have to say collectively, okay, maybe it's over at some point. But we'll do that when it's that time."

Augsburg will be followed by Inter and Dortmund

A lot could be read between the lines from Eberl's statements. The sporting director strongly dislikes the "anticipation" of decisions and assessments by the media and experts before an official announcement by the club or the player. In sporting terms, Vincent Kompany does not necessarily seem to be counting on Müller, even at the start of the 28th Bundesliga matchday. "We have good attacking players," replied the Bayern coach tellingly.

The Belgian clearly does not see the league leaders' tricky start to two groundbreaking weeks as a Thomas Müller game. The game at defensively strong FCA will be followed by the quarter-final against Inter Milan and the prestigious classic against Borussia Dortmund.



Kompany was rather thinking of in-form regulars such as Harry Kane, Musiala, Michael Olise and Leroy Sané for a success against FCA, who are unbeaten in eleven games. And less on Müller, whose long-term era in Munich seems to be coming to an end.

Videos from the department