Bayern coach Nagelsmann explains why he became a vegetarian
Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann
Quelle: Getty Images/Alex Grimm
Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann makes it public that he is now completely without meat. In the end, there were two important reasons that made the difference. Only his now no longer tenable nickname makes him wistful.
Bayern trainer Julian Nagelsmann explained his change to a vegetarian and is now puzzling over a new, suitable nickname for him. Because of his fondness for meatloaf, which he also prepared himself, the 34-year-old was called “Hacki” in his coaching team. Maybe he would be called “now Erbsi or Vegan-Hacki” in the future, Nagelsmann joked on Friday.
Nagelsmann explained in the press conference on FC Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga game this Saturday at SC Freiburg that “the issue of animal welfare was certainly the most important buzzword” for not eating meat. He just wants to refrain from “eating creatures that have eyes.”
The second major issue for him is environmental protection. “That, too, persuaded me to give up meat and fish.” The first experiences are good for him. “I really don’t feel like giving up. It’s not a problem for me.” Only the lost nickname makes him “a little wistful”.
Süle and Goretzka back at SC Freiburg
He’s still hungry, albeit only for sport, says Nagelsmann. He wants to incorporate titles and trophies, he made that clear with a look at the last third of the season.
“The most important thing is that we keep up the greed and keep the players fit,” Nagelsmann said on Friday about the coming weeks with a maximum of eight games in the Bundesliga and Champions League in April. It’s going into the hot title weeks, in which the Munich team want to bring in the harvest – like every year since 2013, the championship trophy and the crowning glory of Europe’s premier class cup.
The start has it all. On Saturday (3.30 p.m., in the WELT sports ticker), Bayern will be guests at Champions League contenders SC Freiburg in the new stadium, which is packed for the first time with 34,700 spectators. Just in time for the restart after the international break, the ranks at the top of the table are filling up again. Defender Niklas Süle is fit again just two weeks after tearing a small muscle fiber in his thigh and, like Leon Goretzka in Freiburg, should collect a few minutes of play before the Champions League quarter-finals at FC Villarreal.
FC Bayern does not want to take any risks with Lewandowski
Goretzka called it “extremely relieving” to finally be part of the team again. It’s been four months since the midfielder was last on the pitch in a Bundesliga stadium: in Bayern’s win in Dortmund. Persistent patellar tendon problems slowed down Goretza, who was plagued by slight muscular problems in his hip before his comeback. Goretzka “trained extremely well for two weeks,” reported Nagelsmann happily: “I’d like to let him play.”
Especially since Joshua Kimmich continued to wait for the birth of his third child on Friday. The 27-year-old could travel to Breisgau. Nagelsmann said that “a deadline” had been agreed for the match day by when such an action could make sense. The birth comes first. Defensive player Alphonso Davies is not yet there after suffering from heart muscle inflammation.
All highlights, all goals – the Bundesliga at WELT
A football game lasts 90 minutes – and you can see all the highlights from it with us, right after the final whistle. We show you all the highlights of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2.
In order to pick up the rhythm for the Villarreal game on Wednesday (9 p.m., also in the sports ticker of WELT) as a collective after the international break, the participation of striker Robert Lewandowski is also planned despite a bruised rib. “Robert is someone who always wants to play and has an extremely high pain tolerance,” Nagelsmann noted. But one thing is clear: “We don’t take any risks, we want to have him fit in Villarreal.”
Although Munich’s focus is on the Champions League, everyday life in the league doesn’t run alongside. Especially not “on this interesting matchday”, which Nagelsmann called out because “our direct competitor from Dortmund” has to play against RB Leipzig in the top game. His wish is that his own six-point lead increases.
“We would make a mistake if we rested players,” said Nagelsmann, also with a view to his line-up puzzle. “Freiburg are a difficult team to play on. They will demand everything from us. It’s advisable to inaugurate the new Freiburg stadium in such a way that we want to try to win there.”
