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Update 7:00AM EST
Per Sky reporter Uli Kohler, Bayern Munich star Thomas Müller and sporting director Hasan “Brazzo” Salihamidzic were slightly delayed in leaving Qatar:
Hasan Salihamidcic und Thomas Müller @esmuellert_ sind noch in Qatar. Brazzo ist dort geblieben um den Rückflug zu organisieren. Heute wird Müller in Deutschland zurück erwartet. Er begibt sich dann sofort in häusliche Quarantäne. #ssnhd #packmas #FCB
— Uli Köhler (@Sky_Uli) February 12, 2021
Hasan Salihamidzic and Thomas Müller are still in Qatar. Brazzo stayed there to organize the return flight. Today Müller is expected back in Germany. He then immediately goes into quarantine at home.#ssnhd#packmas#FCB
The initial Bild report stated that Müller would likely leave at the same time as the team, but it appears that the logistics in securing an airplane and pilots took longer than expected.
Regardless, Müller is expected back in Germany today.
Let’s be honest, there really is no silver-lining to Bayern Munich star Thomas Müller’s positive test for COVID-19.
The wily veteran missed his team’s Club World Cup victory over Tigres UANL, was isolated from his teammates, and had to stay at a different hotel. In addition, Müller will potentially miss the next two Bundesliga games (Arminia Bielefeld and Eintracht Frankfurt) and could possibly miss the first leg of Bayern Munich’s Champions League tie against Lazio.
If you are a “glass half-full” type of person, though, maybe you can lean on the fact that at least Müller got to fly back to Germany in luxury (per Bild):
The attacker will fly back from Doha to Munich in a private jet because Qatar is letting him leave and does not insist on a quarantine on site. The flight could go parallel to the crew tonight.
Müller has to fill out the digital entry registration and then immediately go to quarantine at his place of residence. In Bavaria it’s at least ten days. If he can then produce a negative test, his quarantine ends.
Obviously, based on the verbiage, Bild’s report was filed late yesterday before Müller and the team left Qatar.
Bild also noted that the quarantine period in Germany is 10 days, which could technically put Müller in a position to potentially return for the Lazio match if he is lucky enough to experience mild symptoms and also test negative.