Bayern Munich’s head coach Julian Nagelsmann looks on during a training session in Munich, southern Germany on the eve of the Uefa Champions League Group E football match SL Benfica v FC Bayern Munich, October 19, 2021. — AFP pic
BERLIN, Oct 29 — Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann hopes to end his 14-day quarantine, having tested positive for Covid-19, in time for next Tuesday’s Champions League match against Benfica.
“If everything goes to plan, I will be on the sidelines,” Nagelsmann said in a press conference today, hoping to be back on the bench against Benfica with Bayern chasing a fourth straight win to stay top of their Champions League group.
The 34-year-old has been in house isolation since testing positive last week and must again sit out tomorrow’s Bundesliga game at Union Berlin with Bayern top of the table.
He has been issuing instructions remotely to his assistant coaches, but watched at home in horror on Wednesday as Bayern crashed to a 5-0 defeat at Moenchengladbach in the German Cup.
“This shouldn’t happen again because it hurts. Wednesday was a new experience from which we will draw our lessons,” Nagelsmann admitted in the wake of the club’s record cup defeat.
“It’s hard to shake off, but we want to do that on Saturday and continue in the Champions League.”
Nagelsmann has processed the shock result in talks with senior players, club CEO Oliver Kahn and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, “but it wasn’t like we were crying on the phone about how bad everything is.”
Bayern expect a tough match at Union’s Alten Foersterei where the hosts are unbeaten in 21 home league games.
“Union is a club that plays incredibly consistently. They will present us with big challenges — we have to go into this game with maximum intensity,” warned the Bayern coach.
Bayern are eager for a positive end to a week to forget.
Joshua Kimmich has been the centre of fierce debate in Germany since revealing he declined to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
Lucas Hernandez discovered Wednesday he will avoid jail in Spain despite violating a restraining order in 2017.
“Unrest is never good. Even without those issues, we probably wouldn’t have won on Wednesday either,” said Nagelsmann.
“There were several components that came together and we didn’t play well,” added Nagelsmann. — AFP