This week, the action from Bayern Munich vs. VfB Stuttgart off-the-pitch could be a tougher match-up than what will happen on Saturday at the MHPArena.
The executives from both clubs are engaged in a standoff over Nick Woltemade, who Bayern Munich covets and also who VfB Stuttgart desperately wants to keep. For his part, Woltemade wants out of Stuttgart and has even offered to help finance the move through his agent forgoing an agreed-upon commission.
The kid has his mind made up.
But…like any precious
youngster, Woltemade might have to learn the tough luck lesson made famous by The Rolling Stones — “You can’t always get what you want.”
As for Bayern Munich, the call is not an easy one in some respects — get bullied by VfB Stuttgart into paying a fee that is too high…or move on and risk losing a vital year of integration and a season for Woltemade to learn from the master — Harry Kane. Moreover, Woltemade could instantly fill the void left by Jamal Musiala’s injury at the No. 10 position as well. He would have an important role this season, while also having a pretty awesome apprenticeship to be ready to take the reins next season when most expect Kane to head home to England.
Now, Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen has allegedly put the move on his shoulders. Heavy is the head that wear the crown in this organization, especially as it pertains to trying to win this kind of battle in the transfer game. If he fails, Dreesen could be viewed as weak or unable to close the deal. Even if he succeeds, though, some members of the supervisory board — and certainly some members of the fanbase — will chide him for overpaying for a guy, who really only has one legitimate standout year under his belt despite having a pretty decent pedigree.
What about Max Eberl you ask? Well, per some reports, the board member for sport has been tasked with moving on, leaving this mess for Dreesen to clean up, and finding other candidates who can help in 2025/26. It is truly a divide and conquer strategy for the Bavarians.
So…what should Bayern Munich do?
With perceived losses to Liverpool and Al Nassr during this transfer window already (in reality, you could argue Bayern Munich did as well as it could in those instances), some fans are not eager to allow VfB Stuttgart to get this “win” and make Bayern Munich overpay.
Sometimes, though, you just have to go out and take what you want — this is one of those times. If Bayern Munich believes that Woltemade can be starter at the No. 10 position until Musiala comes back — and also be a worthy, long-term successor to Kane — then just got get him. If Woltemade does not move and has a good season at Stuttgart, his price is certainly not going to get any cheaper and it would also allow the deep-pocketed vultures from England to unload their coffers for the latest German sensation.
Woltemade wants Bayern Munich and Bayern Munich wants Woltemade…go make it happen.
Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show Season 5, Episode 3
Bayern Munich has been busy this week on and off the field as it prepares for the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup.
Let’s breakdown the latest and great news from a crazy week on this edition of the Bavarian Podcast Works Weekend Warm-up Show. This is what we have on tap:
- Some final thoughts on the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup as we steamroll toward the match, including the expected absence of Alexander Nübel.
- Thomas Müller landed to much fanfare in Vancouver. Canada…such a great place.
- After some doubt, Kingsley Coman is finally off to Al Nassr. Let’s talk about why there was a delay and what that could mean for what is going on inside the walls of Säbener Straße.
- The negotiations between Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart for Nick Woltemade might have come to a fiery conclusion on Wednesday. That is a big problem for Bayern Munich, so let’s discuss the fallout.
- All of a sudden Christopher Nkunku might be the value buy that Bayern Munich is looking for…let’s kick around why that might not be a bad idea, but why it also is not the best idea.
Song of the Week: “Swingin’” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
As you might have heard, I am a massive Tom Petty fan (sorry Markopolo).
Petty’s last somewhat big album after a terrific career was Echo, which had some very strong songs (and also made for a great concert — shoutout Petty in Camden, NJ and in the old Philadelphia Spectrum!). While he is known for so many other songs, this one always stuck with me because of the invaluable messaging.
The song is about resilience, survival, and keeping your dignity through hardship. As bad as things get, you can’t let life beat you down…you gotta keep swingin’:
Bonus Material
I recently saw this and I have no idea how old it is, but how awesome is it? If you follow me on X (@TheBarrelBlog), you might recall I recently ate breakfast at a place firing off some Duran Duran and it just hit right, so this was especially cool. Check it out:
As bonus, I also came across this cover by the band MercyMe (along with some friends from other bands like Jars of Clay) and…it is awesome. Part of is that it is just pure fun and the other part of it is that it looks like so many damn cube-filled dumps that I used to work in. This video eluded me for 13 years, but it was too good not to share (and should at least give you something to smile about):
Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show: VfB Stuttgart vs. Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich travels to VfB Stuttgart for the Beckenbauer Supercup (formerly the DFL-Supercup) in what should be a highly anticipated match-up between two teams with high hopes for the 2025/26 season.
VfB Stuttgart advanced to the Beckenbauer Supercup by virtue of winning the DFB-Pokal, while Bayern Munich will be playing because it won the Bundesliga championship. Let’s get into all of the ins and outs of this showdown (including the awkwardness of the situation given how Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart are battling over Nick Woltemade):
- What to watch for with VfB Stuttgart.
- A look at Bayern Munich’s injury situation.
- A guess at Bayern Munich’s starting XI.
- A prediction on the match.
Entertainment Rundown
So…I tried to watch Dexter: Resurrection, but I was unaware that it was on Paramount+ Premium/Showtime. I have neither of those services, so I am screwed. That was disappointing to say the least.
Trainwreck: Storm Area 51
Back in the days when the internet was fun, the “Storm Area 51” craze was a good time. This Netflix documentary tells the story of how it all came together, why it became such a craze, and exactly how it all fell apart because it was built like a house of cards.
While this two-episode documentary did not offer anything groundbreaking, it was a bit fun, but maybe not something you necessarily have to make time to watch. In short, there was not really a ton to the story aside of shady deals and greed taking something fun and turning into something that ended up…kind of fun, but also kind of nerve wracking for the people involved.
If you want to delve back into a simpler time, though, it is not the worst thing in the world to relive this little nugget from history.
Rating: 7.00/10.00
Predictions
Franz Beckenbauer Supercup
The Nick Woltemade Derby, err, the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup should be a fun match between two teams looking to prove something. Bayern Munich will want to continue to assert its dominance in German football, while VfB Stuttgart will be seeking to knock the Bavarians from their perch.
The tensions will surely run high on the pitch and in the stands (keep those executives away from each other for a bit), but Bayern Munich should be able to take advantage of what looks to be a vulnerable backline for Die Schwaben.
Bayern Munich’s overall talent and depth will prove to be evident, but do not be surprised if VfB Stuttgart puts one in the net and throws a scare or two into a backline looking to gain cohesion.
Prediction: VfB Stuttgart 1-3 Bayern Munich
DFB-Pokal
- FC Gütersloh 2000 0-4 FC Union Berlin
- Saarbrücken 1-2 FC Magdeburg
- SG Sonnenhof Großaspach 0-4 Bayer Leverkusen
- Arminia Bielefeld 1-2 Werder Bremen
- BFC Dynamo Berlin 0-2 VfL Bochum
- FK Pirmasens 0-3 Hamburg SV
- Bahlinger SC 1929 1-3 FC Heidenheim 1846
- FC Eintracht Norderstedt 0-1 St. Pauli
- FV Illertissen 0-1 FC Nürnberg
- Hansa Rostock 1-3 TSG Hoffenheim
- Hemelingen 0-4 VfL Wolfsburg
- SV Sandhausen 0-5 RB Leipzig
- Energie Cottbus 1-2 Hannover 96
- Sportfreunde Lotte 0-3 SC Freiburg
- VfB Lübeck 1-3 SV Darmstadt 98
- FV Engers 07 0-6 Eintracht Frankfurt
- Viktoria Köln 0-2 SC Paderborn 07
- FC Lokomotive Leipzig 0-1 Schalke 04
- Lohne 0-2 SpVgg Greuther Fürth
- RSV Eintracht 1-2 Kaiserslautern
- SSV Jahn Regensburg 1-2 FC FC Köln
- SV Atlas Delmenhorst 0-4 Borussia Mönchengladbach
- ZFC Meuselwitz 1-3 Karlsruher SC
- FC 08 Homburg 1-3 Holstein Kiel
- Hallescher FC 1-4 FC Augsburg
- SSV Ulm 1846 3-2 SV 07 Elversberg
- FC Schweinfurt 05 1-3 Fortuna Düsseldorf
- Dynamo Dresden 1-3 Mainz 05
- Preußen Münster 2-3 Hertha Berlin
- Rot-Weiss Essen 1-6 Borussia Dortmund
Prediction Results
Club World Cup: 39-23
Perfect Picks: 1
