Josip Stanisic (24) has committed himself to FC Bayern on a long-term basis. This means that the third-placed team from last season is killing two birds with one stone.
Munich instead of Leverkusen: Josip Stanisic. picture alliance / Matthias Koch
In mid-June, kicker reported that Stanisic was to extend his contract in Munich and wrote of positive talks. These have now led to the result that Bayern had hoped for: As the Munich team announced on Thursday, Stanisic has signed a contract with his hometown club until 2029.
“He was born in Munich and played for FC Bayern in his youth – I learned in my own time what you can take with you,” Bayern sports director Max Eberl is quoted as saying in the club’s statement. “Stani knows what’s important at FC Bayern.” Sports director Christoph Freund sees Stanisic as “another example of the youth work at the FC Bayern Campus” and “a role model of how to assert yourself at FC Bayern.”
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The announcement of the extension comes two days after the Croatian national team was finally eliminated from the European Championship. Stanisic, who was born in Munich and also played for the German U19 team, played for Croatia in two of the three group matches.
Now he is returning to Munich – as the only player to win the championship title in each of the last two Bundesliga seasons. In 2022/23 he played 14 games for Bayern before moving to Leverkusen on loan last summer to gain more match practice. Not only did he manage that under Xabi Alonso, Stanisic also contributed to the first championship title in the club’s history – including a goal in the Rhinelanders’ 3-0 win in the showdown against FC Bayern on matchday 21.
“I am grateful to Leverkusen because I learned a lot there – in football and off the field: I was able to play a lot of games, show myself and get into a rhythm,” said Stanisic in the Munich club statement. This was one of the reasons why Leverkusen had quietly hoped to keep Stanisic beyond the summer. Instead, Bayern are now killing two birds with one stone: firstly, in Stanisic they have another option for the right-back position, and secondly, they are preventing a direct competitor from being able to hold onto an important defensive puzzle piece.
“I have gained confidence and think that I will return as a better player,” says Stanisic. “I have been a fan of this club for as long as I can remember.”
2024-06-27 14:24:03
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