Uli Hoeneß didn’t leave his former protégé happy. This Juan Bernat played a “shit”, the Bayern patron rumbled. In Seville, the then Munich defender was “solely responsible for the fact that we were almost eliminated,” as Hoeneß claimed. And anyway, it is clear: “The weal and woe of FC Bayern does not depend on Juan Bernat!”
Hoeneß later apologized for this abuse at the legendary press conference in autumn 2018. When the former professional of the German soccer record champions meet again in the Champions League final against Bernat’s new team Paris Saint-Germain, however, this episode provides plenty of extra spice.
Does Hoeneß still remember the sentences from back then when he watched the big final as Munich guest of honor on Sunday (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League, on ZDF, on Sky and DAZN) in the Estádio da Luz? For example, the fact that Bernat was transferred to Paris in the summer of 2018, “because he would have cost us almost the entire Champions League”. The fact that the now 27-year-old could screw up the big triple coup for Munich as an opponent would be a bitter punchline for Bayern.
In addition to the superstars around 222 million professional Neymar and world champion Kylian Mbappé, Bernat is also one of the success factors in the team of coach Thomas Tuchel – and a Bundesliga shock! As a regular on the left side of defense, he headed RB Leipzig in the semi-finals with the third goal at 3-0. The Spaniard had previously scored against Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16. “We deserved this final,” said Bernat after the victory over Leipzig, when he did not yet know the charming final opponent.
Unlike many times before, the PSG selection has so far bribed at the Corona tournament with team football, to which the superstars also subordinate. “I’ve seen a team that is hungry to win,” praised Tuchel. This also includes supposedly inconspicuous professionals such as the former Schalke Thilo Kehrer or Bernat, who was sent away from Munich, in the two outer positions in the defense chain.
By the way, no verbal tip is to be expected from Bernat before seeing his former colleagues again. The national player had not countered immediately after the Hoeneß rage. “I was raised to be polite at all times. I will be the same with Bayern and the fans, ”he said at the time. A very late response to his former president’s testimony could follow on Sunday.
Juan Bernat headed against Leipzig in the semi-finals to 3-0.
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Image: AFP
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