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April 15, 2021

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Flick mulls future as Bayern exits UCL

Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick is mulling his future following the team鈥檚 UEFA Champions League elimination.

Flick, who has a contract through 2023 but has refused to say if he will fulfill it, has emerged as the leading candidate to take over the German national team once Joachim Loew finally steps down after this year鈥檚 European Championship. Flick was Loew鈥檚 assistant from 2006-14.

Flick delivered an impassioned monologue for more than four minutes after the defending champion鈥檚 exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain late on Tuesday, when he spoke about a future he is still considering.

鈥淚 have a contract with Bayern Munich and these are things that just come. You always think about what鈥檚 happening and how does it go on and so on, whether everything is wonderful or otherwise,鈥 Flick told broadcaster Sky.

鈥淚 think the thing is for everyone in this position, whether as manager or coach or whatever, is how can I keep developing the team, the club? It鈥檚 a normal process 鈥 I鈥檓 always thinking, because for me it鈥檚 part of the process of success. And of course, you have to look.鈥

Former Bayern great Lothar Mattheus said on the same broadcast that there had been telephone contact between the German soccer federation and Flick, and that the 56-year-old coach is the federation鈥檚 favorite to take over from Loew. Mattheus also said Bayern is already considering RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann as Flick鈥檚 successor.

Nagelsmann responded yesterday.

鈥淭here were and are no talks,鈥 Nagelsmann said ahead of Leipzig鈥檚 Bundesliga game tomorrow against Hoffenheim. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know where he got the information. You鈥檇 have to ask Lothar that.鈥

Flick led Bayern to a UCL, Bundesliga and German Cup treble after taking over from Niko Kovac in November 2019. Last week鈥檚 2-3 loss at home to PSG in the first leg of the UCL quarterfinals was his first defeat in the competition, though the French club still progressed on away goals after Bayern鈥檚 1-0 win in the second leg.

Under Flick, Bayern won 16 games, drew one and lost another in the UCL.

If he leaves the Bavarian powerhouse, and Bayern coaxes Nagelsmann from Leipzig in his place, it will add to the growing list of managerial changes for the new season.

Eintracht Frankfurt coach Adi Huetter is turning his back on almost certain UCL qualification to join Borussia Moenchengladbach and take over from Marco Rose, who is leaving to take over from Edin Terzic at Borussia Dortmund.

Frankfurt will be hoping that Tuesday鈥檚 announcement of Huetter鈥檚 departure does not lead to a collapse like Gladbach鈥檚 in the games after Rose鈥檚 departure was made known. Once a contender for UCL qualification, Gladbach is now in danger of missing out on European qualification altogether.

Bayern, meanwhile, is closing in on a record-extending ninth consecutive Bundesliga title. It鈥檚 likely to be the last under Flick.


 

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