Matthias Sammer (56) is irritated by the way FC Bayern Munich and the German national team are dealing with midfielder Leon Goretzka. National coach Julian Nagelsmann has already decided not to use Goretzka at the European Championships at home. FC Bayern would have liked to sell the very well-paid professional, who is fighting for playing time, this summer.
At a Prime Video event in Munich, Sammer admitted that he was treading on “thin ice” on this topic. However, the former DFB sports director and FC Bayern sports director has known Goretzka, who “definitely has a mind of his own”, since he was 16 years old.
“Untypical for Bayern Munich”
“Bayern Munich decided to do it this way. I cannot judge the motives. I personally would not have done it, but I also do not have to pay the salary, I do not know what the coach thinks of him, I do not know how they see the strategy as a whole,” Sammer explained. “It is somewhat untypical for Bayern Munich, I have never publicly noticed that this has happened in the past.”
Sammer emphasised: “I’m not criticising anything at all, I’m just questioning what that means for people’s souls. I don’t know anything like that, I don’t know anything like that at the top international level either.” After all, Goretzka is not “one of those wannabes” but has already won titles. “If I don’t want someone anymore at some point, then there are other ways to solve that than through publicity.”
Sammer speaks of “signal effect”
Goretzka is no longer a regular in FC Bayern’s defensive midfield. In the pre-season, he was also used in defence. Most recently in the Bundesliga, in the 2-0 win against SC Freiburg, Goretzka, who is contractually bound until June 30, 2026, was only substituted on in the 90th minute.
If a player is publicly questioned, it has a “signal effect,” said Sammer. “Personally, I don’t think that’s the right way to go, but that doesn’t mean I have to be right.”
“Supporting people externally”
Sammer also recalled discussions about Munich defenders Dayot Upamecano and Minjae Kim, as well as Matthijs de Ligt, who has since been sold to Manchester United. “I would never try to publicly question someone who I expect three weeks later to be able to win everything for me. I personally wouldn’t do that,” said Sammer, who is also working as an expert for Prime Video in this Champions League season. “It is always good and valuable to properly support and defend people externally, but internally it is something different.”
Sammer also cited the example of national player Joshua Kimmich, whose former Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel had sparked a midfield debate. “We can discuss: Is he the right number six? Is he the right right-back? But we cannot discuss the fact that he leaves his whole life on the pitch,” said Sammer.
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