The pre-christmas gift-giving continued at FC bayern munchen even as jubilarian thomas muller had proclaimed the “family-and-friends” program at the designated ten-year champion.
Less than 24 hours after the final 4:0 performance of the munich soccer stars against the vfl wolfsburg with the next goal record by robert lewandowski, borussia dortmund put the championship trophy under the christmas tree as a present for their archrival.
“What a conclusion to the year 2021!” cheered chief executive oliver kahn. And coach julian nagelsmann, whose removal from leipzig cost the munich bosses at least 20 million euros in (severance) pay this summer, was looking forward to “a certain peace under the christmas tree. Nine-point lead after dortmund”s mishap in berlin is much more than just a cushion. At best, the autumn champions can only dimly recognize BVB when they look in the rearview mirror. “We are in a good position,” said manuel neuer.
Neuer looking forward to 2022
The captain was thinking above all of the rough challenge of the champions league. “We have always been there, especially in the rough games against benfica, barcelona and dortmund in the bundesliga. That promises a lot for the second half of the season and the heibe phase in march, april,” said neuer, full of anticipation for the upcoming world cup year.
2021 was above all a lewandowski year. In may, bayern”s torminator cracked with his 41. Season goal in the very last minute breaks gerd muller”s 49-year-old bundesliga best (40 goals). Against wolfsburg he made it highly exciting again: not until the 87th minute did. In the 43rd minute, the pole could celebrate after a side-kick goal number 43, with which he surpassed muller”s 42-goal best mark from the calendar year 1972. “The goal was technically very demanding and commensurate with his performance for the year,” said nagelsmann: “i’m very happy that lewy still scored” – after two missed rough chances.
The late goal luck provides namely also in the house of lewandowski for merry christmas after the frustration over the not received balloon d?Or, which went to lionel messi. "I’m very proud of the year as a whole. For me it was again a higher level. It was a turbulent year, with a lot of emotions," summed up 33-year-old lewandowski.
Hainer swarmed by the goaljager
Must bayern bid for BVB young star erling haaland? No, replied club president herbert hainer on sunday on TV station sport1, "because we have robert, the world’s best striker". Hainer previously told the "bild am sonntag" that he would be happy if the pole "finished his career with us". Current contract ends in summer 2023. A verlangerung is expensive, but targeted.
Lewandowski leads a munich attacking unit that is on course to surpass the 101-goal record set by the golden bayern generation around "bomber" muller in the 1971/72 season after scoring a half-time record 56 goals. Template cone muller crowns his 400th career goal. League game with goal number 134. Leroy sane, the winner of the preliminary round, scored beautifully from a distance. Gnabry, coman, musiala – the bayern squad, which was supposed to be too thin in the summer, is currently top-loaded up front. Need for action in january? Sports director hasan salihamidzic waved off the idea even before the winter transfer window opened: "we are really well-staffed. We will continue to go into the season like this."
Lewandowski proud
Lewandowski is proud to be mentioned in the same breath as goal-scoring legend gerd muller. "For me it is a great honor to be there with such a great name and such a great personality," the munich striker told tv station bild. Lewandowski named "star of the year" by "sport bild.
"There are also records that you can’t break," said lewandowski, who, according to his own statements, doesn’t think before a game about which best mark he can break next. Muller is the record goal scorer in the bundesliga with 365 goals, lewandowski is second with 296 goals.
When kimmich comes back?
Anyway, the most important personnel issue concerns joshua kimmich. When – and above all in what condition – will the national player return after his corona illness?? When will his lung problems allow him to make a comeback in 2022?? He will have a new medical check-up at the beginning of this week, hainer reported: "hopefully he will be able to resume normal training after the winter break." kimmich missed the last eight games of 2021 for quarantine and then infection reasons. "Joshua is one of the most important players for us," emphasized hainer.
On 2. January nagelsmann lets his stars train again. The coach bade farewell to his pros with a thank-you note for a short vacation. "It’s very pleasant to work with the team, it’s a lot of fun. The coach feels good."Nagelsmann has made a top impression in munich – in spite of cup k.O. In gladbach. "We’ll leave out the 0:5," he said himself. "He brought a breath of fresh air to the team," praised neuer.