Daily Schmankerl: Bayern Munich probably to decide on Coutinho in June; new Bayern president opposed to Super League

Bayern Munich in no hurry to decide about Phillipe Coutinho (Bild)

Bild has probably the most predictable scoop of the year: Bayern Munich will wait until “spring” before decided whether to buy Phillipe Coutinho from FC Barcelona. They did the same thing with James Rodriguez, waiting until early June before officially passing on the Colombian. Expect a decision on Coutinho to become public then.

There is almost no chance, meanwhile, that Bayern will pay the full €120m purchase option that Barcelona inserted into Coutinho’s €8.5m loan contract. It’s more likely that the Bavarians would negotiate a fee between €80m and €100m. If they end up buying Kai Havertz from Leverkusen (in addition to Leroy Sané, of course), then they would presumably not buy Coutinho.

Another thing to bear in mind that Bild neglects to mention: Coutinho’s astronomical wages. Barca has hamstrung their own leverage in a way by giving Coutinho such massive wages. I highly doubt that Bayern would sign him at such high wages unless he truly turns into a wonder-worker from here on out. I suspect he’ll move back to the Premier League or go back to Barca — hopefully not like an unwanted blaugrana Gareth Bale.

Caution: cute overload ahead

Yep, that Robert Lewandowski’s daughter Klara with Phil Coutinho’s older daughter Maria. Coutinho has a ten-month-old Esmaralda and the Roberty and Anna are expecting a second child in the coming months.

Herbert Hainer declares himself opposed to hypothetical “Super League” (kicker)

In an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Bayern Munich’s new president, Herbert Hainer, expressed a firm commitment to the Bundesliga and dismissed the notion of joining other elite European clubs to form a “Super League” outside the scope of the traditional national leagues. Hainer said,

We have absolutely no interest in any kind of Super League; Eine noch zu gründende Superliga ist aus Sicht Hainers und des FC Bayern keine Option: “Wir haben überhaupt kein Interesse an irgendeiner Superliga, You can say that quite clearly.”

Hainer added, “We are sticking with the Bundesliga! Without any if’s and but’s.”

Bayern Munich ultras protest eSports

DW’s translation is pretty good except that they translated “jedem Scheiß” as “everything,” which is a bit milder than the German. You get the idea. The Ultras apparently do not think “eSport” (which they cite in scare quotes) is worthy of the name. I’m not sure that I’d define “Mia san mia” like that, personally. I usually think of it as meaning, “We’re going to do things our way and kick ass while doing it,” but that’s just me.

Sarpreet Singh the first New Zealander in the BL in 25 years (Transfermarkt)

Sarpreet Singh made his Bundesliga debut in the 82nd minute of Bayern’s 6-1 rout of Werder Bremen. It was almost 25 years to the day since the last New Zealander to play in the Bundesliga played his last game. Wynton Rufer played his last match on December 10, 1994. By coincidence, Rufer played for Bremen, and in that match they played Bayern Munich, finishing with a 0-0 draw.

Singh is also the first player of Indian background to play for the Rekordmeister (Hindustan Times).

I feel old: first player born in 2002 debuts in Bundesliga

Congratulations on your notable review, Jan Thielmann!