“I have the feeling that Leroy Sané doesn’t understand the game at all”

For the former Bayern professional Manfred Bender, the sporting doldrums in Munich mainly have to do with coach Julian Nagelsmann. He also leaves no good hair to Leroy Sané.

“A baker could also train FC Bayern,” said the 56-year-old in an interview with Sportradio Deutschland, “he doesn’t have to be such a good coach, he just has to be able to lead the team. Nagelsmann can’t do that yet.”

Bender, who had won the championship title twice with Bayern, advises Nagelsmann to keep his distance from the team. “With Julian, I have the feeling that he wants to be on an equal footing with the players. Instead of driving into the underground car park, he comes with the e-board and presents himself,” said Bender. But he is now at Bayern, “he has to take it back.” The fact that Nagelsmann publicly described his defense as a pile of chickens was “suboptimal” for Bender. As a Bayern coach, you can’t say that. But he’s still young.”

Bender also sees a “Lewandowski problem at Bayern. They don’t have a thoroughbred striker. You need the guys who want to score goals, they don’t exist in the national team or at Bayern Munich.” Bender doesn’t give national player Leroy Sane a good hair, he only makes a top game every sixth game: “You don’t see anything of it. From time to time I have the feeling that he doesn’t understand the game at all.”

With a view to the World Cup in Qatar, Manfred Bender would take Dortmund’s Mats Hummels with him for central defence. “Antonio Rüdiger is still the most consistent. It’s still too big for Nico Schlotterbeck. It’s the same with Süle. He can’t make it either,” said Bender.