Report: Bayern Munich GKs coach Toni Tapalović surprised by public drama over Alexander Nübel’s situation

Bayern Munich had seemingly settled on bringing back AS Monaco loanee Alexander Nübel following Manuel Neuer’s injury — but such a move is complicated on many fronts, not least of which is Nübel’s apparent refusal to work with Neuer’s long-time goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalović.

Per Tz (via @iMiaSanMia), Bayern sporting director Hasan “Brazzo” Salihamidžić wants the situation clarified expeditiously, but the public airing of grievances isn’t making that easy. According to Bild, the Bayern GKs coach is responding to the reports with surprise — and emphasizing his role in bringing the younger German keeper to Bayern in the first place:

Manuel Neuer’s agent, Thomas Kroth, is also quoted in the report as saying: “Why doesn’t Alexander Nübel just call Manuel or Toni Tapalović and calmly discuss the situation. Why is everything being talked about in public? The two know each other and it was Tapalović and Manuel who recommended FC Bayern early on to sign Nübel. So they played a big part in Nübel moving to Bayern in 2020.”

Additionally, Bild reports that Tapalović did indeed have communication with Nübel at the beginning of his AS Monaco loan tenure — which is now in its second season.

Nevertheless, whatever bonhomie existed in the past seems to have dissipated. If the reports of Nübel’s demands are accurate, it would seem he’d require little short of the club pushing their long-time #1 out to pasture before agreeing to return — an extraordinary demand that the club don’t appear to be entertaining.

It’s looking more and more like the parties are accelerating towards a permanent parting of ways — but perhaps an agreement can still be brokered. In the meantime, Bayern have also been linked most recently to Gladbach keeper Yann Sommer and Sevilla’s Yassine “Bono” Bounou.