“The ghost games are new territory for me”

Munich – The highly experienced Thomas Muller does not make a forecast for the Bundesliga sequel. “The ghost games are new territory for me, for which I have no real strategy,” said the 30-year-old former soccer world champion in a video chat.

“At least I imagined that it could be like the final training session before a Champions League game – and that’s where you want to win the final game.” Before the premier class appearances, the guest team usually trains the evening before in the empty stadium.

It will still take some time before Muller has to deal with this scenario in concrete terms. The ball rolls again in May at the earliest – and then pretty safely without spectators. According to Muller, “the team that accepts this the fastest and best and brings the highest quality to the pitch should have more of an advantage”. After all, like Manuel Neuer, Jérôme Boateng, David Alaba and Robert Lewandowski, he has already played a ghost game. In 2014, the Munich team won 1-0 in the Champions League at CSKA Moscow. After the misconduct of CSKA fans, no spectators were admitted at the time.

The preparation for day X and the resumption of play in the Bundesliga is currently “not an easy task,” admitted Muller. Given the Corona crisis, one is in an “exceptional situation not only for football” and feels “a bit in the balance”.

The vice-captain provided himself with sporty clarity this week in uncertain social times. Like coach Hansi Flick, he extended his contract until June 30, 2023. “I’m glad that Thomas has extended and hope that one or the other will come,” said Flick. The contracts of Captain Neuer, Alaba, Thiago and other actors expire on June 30, 2021. If these professionals do not extend, “it does not mean that the day after tomorrow will be gone,” said Muller about the term of the contracts.

Not much was missing a few months ago and Muller, who according to President Herbert Hainer is part of FC Bayern “like the Oktoberfest in the city of Munich”, would have created a hangover. «The emotional state in autumn was quite tense. I had no intention of extending the contract in the spring, ”he explained. Under coach Niko Kovac, he was demoted to an emergency nail, under Flick he is again an executive.

But that does not mean that he will be asked about transfer matters at FC Bayern, said Muller when he was asked about the personnel table. “For this, we have extra employees in the club who deal exclusively or mainly with management planning.”

Muller left it open whether he could one day be part of the club leadership as a 2013 Champions League winner, just like 2001 winner Oliver Kahn as a new board member. “That is certainly not out of the question.” But he likes to leave what happens in the future to others.