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The departure of Bastian Schweinsteiger means Bayern Munich had an opening in their leadership positions. Apparently, the club has already filled those positions, sporting director Matthias Sammer announcing the captain hierarchy to the club website.
"Philipp Lahm is the captain, Manuel Neuer is the vice-captain, and Thomas Müller is the third," said Sammer. "Those are our three leadership players."
Schweinsteiger had been the vice-captain under Philipp Lahm since 2011. He now passes those responsibilities down to Neuer, who is in his fifth season with the club and has a contract through 2019. Müller, a player who Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes could be in upper management one day, becomes the next home grown player in line for the captainship.
This is a formidable group of Bayern leadership, but it also leaves Jérôme Boateng on the outside looking in. The 26-year-old voiced his desire earlier this summer to take on more responsibility with the club with Schweinsteiger gone.