Martin Demichelis is no stranger to Bayern Munich.
After spending 12 years in Munich as a player, Demichelis knows better than most what it takes to compete at the highest level in Germany. Now, he will return to the Allianz Arena this week as the head coach of RB Leipzig, and he is not pretending that his current club is on the same level as Bayern Munich.
Asked whether Leipzig should be considered a genuine Bundesliga title contender, Demichelis was refreshingly honest.
“We have to be honest: Bayern
are currently in a different category than us. But anything is possible in football,” Demichelis told Sport Bild (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
That might not be the headline-grabbing answer some Leipzig supporters want to hear, but it is probably the realistic one.
Bayern Munich enters another Bundesliga season as the overwhelming favorite. The club has the depth, financial resources, individual talent, and recent history to make another run at the title. Even with legitimate challengers emerging around the league, Bayern Munich remains the team everyone else is trying to catch.
Leipzig, meanwhile, has plenty of reasons for optimism. Demichelis is attempting to build something of his own at the club, and if everything clicks, Leipzig could certainly make life difficult for Bayern Munich and the rest of the Bundesliga.
But Demichelis’ comments also demonstrate the respect he still has for his former club.
Returning to the Allianz Arena will be particularly meaningful for him.
“I lived 12 years in Munich. It’s my second home. Bayern gave me a chance when I was young, and I grew up there. ‘Mia san mia’ mean something to me, so it’s certainly special to come to the Allianz Arena, especially as it’s my first time there as a coach. But I’m very proud to be the coach of RB Leipzig now.”
There is something fitting about Demichelis walking back into the Allianz Arena in a different role. Bayern Munich helped shape him as a player, and now he gets the opportunity to test himself against the club that played such a significant role in his career.
For Leipzig, the friendly is obviously about preparation. For Demichelis, it will be something more personal.
And while he admits Bayern Munich currently operates in a different category, his final point is the one that makes the Bundesliga interesting every season: anything really is possible in football.
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