Bayern Munich changes on and off pitch offer hope to Bundesliga rivals

Bayern Munich changes on and off pitch offer hope to Bundesliga rivals

12-Aug-2021 07:00:11 | The Guardian

Managerial merry-go-round has taken Julian Nagelsmann to the champions while Dortmund will again look to Erling Haaland

If you thought Pep Guardiola had a tough act to follow when picking up from Jupp Heynckes’s historic treble-winning season in 2013, spare a thought for Julian Nagelsmann. As he takes the reins at Bayern Munich, who are seeking an unprecedented 10th straight Bundesliga title, he must follow on from a mini-era when Hansi Flick won a flurry of titles with genuinely thrilling football, almost the best of Heynckes and Guardiola rolled into one.

Make no mistake, Nagelsmann’s record is extraordinary for a man who turned 34 last month, having taken Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig into the Champions League, reaching the last four with the latter in 2020. Yet Bayern is different terrain and much less forgiving, even for a born-and-bred Bavarian who slept under a Bayern duvet cover as a child. There is no immediate threat of a lack of patience – the champions paid €25m to spring Nagelsmann from his deal at Leipzig and awarded him a five-year contract.

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