David Alaba says being at Bayern Munich has been “fantastic” over the years

David Alaba’s long-and-storied tenure at Bayern Munich will soon come to an end.

The Austrian star will move on and though nothing official has been announced, all signs are pointing Alaba toward Real Madrid.

For now, though, the 28-year-old wants to focus on a strong finish to his career in Bavaria.

Photo by Alexander Scheuber/Getty Images

“There’s still a bit of time before I go, and I can’t fully take it in at the moment. But to be honest, there are days where I catch myself looking back at this special time here at FC Bayern,” Alaba said in an interview with 51 magazine (as captured by FCBayern.com). “It’s just been fantastic over the years.”

As far as what he will miss most about Bayern Munich, Alaba said it would be his teammates.

“The dressing room and my teammates, the fans in the stadium, the atmosphere at Säbener Straße where I spent two years in the youth accommodation at the beginning,” said Alaba. “I’ll also miss the city of Munich where I’ve lived for 13 years and which has become much more than a second home for me. My son was born in Munich, his grandparents live here, so there will always be a close connection.”

When asked if he would get emotional when on the pitch for the final time, Alaba indicated it will definitely be an emotional time.

“I can’t say whether you’ll see me cry but I definitely will inwardly. I had to battle with my emotions recently when we had our last big photo shoot at the Allianz Arena. I’m incredibly grateful for the support from our fans over all the years,” said Alaba. “I’ve always had the feeling of having a special connection to them. One time at Frankfurt, a fan called me over to the fence, and after that we had eye contact at least after every game. I could always imagine myself in the South Stand because I stood there a couple of times when I was a teenager. It’s funny how it’s all turned out. I was a ball boy and, before games in the Champions League, also one of the boys who made waves with the round flag in the center-circle when the stars came out. And then, I was a player on the pitch.”

As for the fans, they will always hold a special place with Alaba.

“Yes, it’s very simple: thank you for everything,” Alaba said. “I’ll never forget this relationship and it will always be in my heart.”