Yann Sommer suspects what will happen to him on his quick return as a Bayern goalkeeper to Gladbach’s Borussia Park – at least after the kick-off.
“The boys will be particularly motivated to score against me,” said the 34-year-old Swiss with a smile. A strange feeling will creep up on the experienced professional when he experiences his first Bundesliga classic between Borussia Mönchengladbach and FC Bayern Munich in the jersey of the German record champions this Saturday (3:30 p.m. / Sky).
Sommer: “I’m happy to see the boys again”
“Of course it’s going to be really strange. I know this team and this club inside out. I was there for eight and a half years. It will be a special moment to come to Borussia Park as a guest – as an opponent,” said Sommer. “But I’m looking forward to seeing the boys again,” he quickly added.
His spectacular last-minute transfer from Gladbach to Munich on the day of the match was just 30 days ago. A month ago everything happened so quickly that it was not even possible to say goodbye to the former colleagues. “We had days off and couldn’t hug each other personally,” Gladbach international Jonas Hofmann recalled. That can now be made up for.
Sommer immediately enthusiastically agreed to Gladbach’s proposal for an official farewell before kick-off. At least that’s how Roland Virkus tells it. “I spoke to Yann on the phone, Yann thinks it’s great,” said Gladbach’s sporting director. For Virkus this is a matter of course. He included the Gladbach fans.
“Yann performed excellently with us for eight and a half years. It’s logical that Yann and we too want to say goodbye in a reasonable way – and also Yann’s fans. That’s the style of Borussia Mönchengladbach. That’s why I think Yann is received very friendly here will,” said Virkus before the reunion. Hofmann said something similar: “There’s no bad blood at all. I think everyone can understand Yann’s decision. Everyone begrudges him that from the heart.”
Sommer can win titles with Bayern
In the late phase of his career, Sommer experiences something new again – and possibly something big. As a Bayern goalkeeper, he is even more in the limelight. German champions, DFB Cup winners, Champions League winners – everything seems possible. He quickly gave the answer as to whether he could be an adequate replacement for the long-term injured captain Manuel Neuer in Munich.
At the latest after Sommer’s strong performance in the Champions League victory in Paris with a spectacular head parade against PSG star Kylian Mbappé, Neuer will no longer be missed. “That’s what distinguishes a goalkeeper at Bayern Munich: you don’t get to do so much, but you’re there when you’re needed,” said Bayern boss and ex-goalkeeper Oliver Kahn after the 1-0 win at Paris Saint-Germain. that held summer
It could be exciting if Neuer were to return fit in the summer after breaking his leg – and had to compete with a possible triple winner Sommer for a place in goal. Bayern’s Honorary President Uli Hoeneß, as a self-confessed admirer of Neuer, said on Thursday evening at a discussion round of the “Neue Presse” in Hanover: “Yann is a fantastic character and fits in wonderfully with Bayern. Our board did an excellent job in finding an outstanding goalkeeper in a very short time commit.”
Omlin follows Sommer in Gladbach
After all, Gladbach benefited financially from the summer deal. As a basic fee, the club received around eight million euros for a goalkeeper who could have switched free of charge at the end of the season. Borussia was able to invest the money in Jonas Omlin (28), the next goalkeeper from Switzerland and who came from Montpellier.
According to Gladbach, a contractual agreement that Sommer was not allowed to stand in the Bayern goal on Saturday was not an issue. “There will be no such clause. Why?” Virkus said. Bayern, on the other hand, are particularly happy that Sommer will no longer be in Gladbacher Tor. Because the Swiss regularly held up well against them. In the 1-1 draw in the first half of the season in the Allianz Arena, Sommer saved 19 shots on goal from his current Bayern colleagues – a record in the Bundesliga since such statistical data was collected.
Julian Nagelsmann assumes that Sommer will master the emotional situation in Borussia Park. “It’s a special game for him against his ex-club. But he’s not 18 anymore and will cope with it and play a very good game,” said the Bayern coach.
Even without a summer, the Gladbachers want to remain a Bayern scare, regardless of the earnings crisis since the loss of their number 1 for years. “I do think that we are now such a feared opponent for them,” said Hofmann after numerous successes in the recent past as in the roaring 5-0 cup evening in 2021. “Over the years, we are a team that Bayern has always stood up to.” This time, however, Sommer will object.
