Shortly before his birthday, Julian Nagelsmann can look forward to a new head of defense for Bayern Munich. The additions of Matthijs de Ligt and other stars are also raising expectations. The coach sees a need for adjustment in several points.
The commitment of the new defense chief Matthijs de Ligt increased the expectations for the new season a bit more. After the Munich shopping tour for a transfer fee of around 120 million euros, coach Julian Nagelsmann also knew shortly before the central defender arrived at the team hotel that more than the championship and two sobering eliminations in the cup and champions league are expected of him in the coming year.
"It should be better than last season," said Nagelsmann. "When you spend a lot of money on new players, the pressure is a little bit bigger than last season. But you always have pressure as Bayern Munich coach. I think I can handle it." At the end of the US tour on Saturday, Nagelsmann definitely has a reason to celebrate: then he will be 35 years old.
The departure of world footballer Robert Lewandowski is offset by the additions of de Ligt, Sadio Mané, Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui to the record champion this summer. And that doesn't have to be the end of it: Konrad Laimer from RB Leipzig and Mathys Tel from Stade Rennes are still in conversation. "The market is still open for a while and we'll see what happens. We'll definitely do a good job until the end," said Nagelsmann.
For the new season, which begins a week later after the Supercup game at RB Leipzig on July 30 with a Bundesliga away game at Eintracht Frankfurt, Nagelsmann has specific points in mind for improvements: His ensemble should focus less on the opponent and more on the Orientate your own strengths, Nagelsmann no longer wants to change the basic order quite as often. Overall, his team should act more consistently.
In addition, the eloquent coach would like to increase the conversations himself. "When you train world stars, the relationship level is very important, that every player feels comfortable, valued, treated fairly and gets the necessary number of talks," said Nagelsmann. Since he is required as a coach.
After a strong first half of the season, in which the crashing cup defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach could still be seen as a slip, the Munich team clearly lacked consistency after the winter break. In the end it was certainly enough for the tenth German championship in a row, but the painful quarter-final knockout. against FC Villarreal still has an effect on coaches, stars and bosses today.
"Every Bayern coach needs success, otherwise it will be difficult. We are convinced of Julian, otherwise we would not have signed him for such a route," said CEO Oliver Kahn with a view to the five-year contract until 2026. "We were aware that so a young coach will also experience difficult phases, but that he has enough reflection skills to constantly develop."
Nagelsmann appropriately emphasized that he is not only concentrating on further improvements with his stars, but also with himself. "That's also what distinguishes him, that he wants to do things better," said midfielder Joshua Kimmich after a marketing appearance at a beer house in Washington.
The decisive factor for the outcome of the coming season will be how the new Nagelsmann squad cope with the departure of Torgarant Lewandowski. "It's a new Bayern Munich. It will be a challenge and I like challenges," said Nagelsmann. "It's good for everyone, we have to find new ways and be creative."
