As Bayern Munich prepare to wrap up Champions League group stage, prospects of the German giants contesting the 2024/25 UCL final in their home stadium appear bleak. The German record champions’ dreams of another “Dahoam Finale” (as the famous final against Chelsea in 2012 was referred to) seem to be deferred.
Three losses in the new group stage format render hopes of direct qualification for the Round of 16 slim. Thomas Müller nevertheless didn’t deviate from his usual jovial mood at a Tuesday press conference. As always, Müller brought the jokes.
“Of course, me and my pals are more concerned with the banter around our ‘Stammtisch’ [‘social table’],” Müller said at the press conference. “I’ll pull from those wise-ass conversations and tell you how I put it.
“I’ve been saying for years that we’ve been ploughing through the group stage before getting knocked out just before the final,” Müller continued. “Now we’re doing it the other way around.“
The man who helped Bayern take the Champions League crown in 2012 and in the 2020 “UEFA Pandemic Bubble” seemed eminently relaxed about everything, including questions about whether he would feature in head coach Vincent Kompany’s starting XI and whether he would carry on for the only club he’s ever represented after his contract expires at the end of this season.
“[My future plans] will develop along with my feelings over the next few months,” Müller noted. “The club accords me a lot of freedom in that regard. I’ve been relatively clear and unclear on this point because nothing is clear at this point.
“I basically go through the world with open eyes and ears,” Müller continued after the requisite laughter died down. “That’s how I shape my perspective and learn from the experiences of others.
“What happens with Bayern won’t determine whether or not I extend my contract,” Müller concluded. “Other personal factors are more important. That’s why I’m relaxed and it’s not much of an issue at this point.
“We have prepared for the game and all potential outcomes,” Müller assured everyone when it came to this evening’s fixture. “The main focus is on a good game. We’ll see what happens. You can’t plan for anything in football anyway.“
GGFN | Peter Weis
