BERLIN • Bayern Munich chief executive officer Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has all but confirmed Niko Kovac's position was safe after the Bundesliga champions secured the domestic double with a 3-0 victory over RB Leipzig in the German Cup final on Saturday.
The Bayern coach has fought off relentless criticism in his first year in charge of the Bavarian giants, as well as rumours that he would be sacked even if the club did win the league and Cup double.
But their emphatic win over Leipzig appeared to end speculation over the Croat's future, as home fans chanted his name before kick-off and after the final whistle.
Rummenigge, who was considered one of Kovac's strongest boardroom critics this season, also told German broadcaster ARD that parting company with 47-year-old was "never an issue".
He said: "We never questioned whether he would be here next season, that was never a topic for us. At the end of the day, trophies are what is expected at Bayern. The coach plays a central role here."
The German added that while it had been a "curious" term, with the team undergoing several rocky patches during the year and were also convincingly knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 by Liverpool.
However, having played "amazingly" at the Olympiastadion for their 12th double and 19th Cup, the victory was a final vindication for Kovac, whose team overcame a nine-point deficit from rivals Borussia Dortmund to lift the Bundesliga title for a seventh straight time.
Admitting he knew "how difficult the job is", the former Eintracht Frankfurt coach, who paid tribute to the travelling support with a loudspeaker at the full-time whistle, told ARD: "I had to stay calm. Trophies are important.
"I thanked the fans, without them, we would not have made it out of the hole we were in earlier in the season
"Last year, I cried because I was leaving the club (Eintracht). This year, it was a bit less emotional but the emotions are always there."
Kovac is now the first coach to have won the Cup in two successive seasons with two different clubs, having beaten Bayern with his former team in last year's final.
Robert Lewandowski's brace and a late strike from Kingsley Coman sealed the victory and, afterwards, the Poland striker dedicated the trophy to long-serving teammates Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.
The duo will be departing the Allianz Arena in the summer on a free transfer, and Lewandowski told ARD that "they have done so much for the club and we have to thank them".
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Rebecca Lowe and The 2 Robbies discuss the historic context of the Man United's transformation under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and how he has been able to Man United's turnaround under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is remarkable | NBC Sports
Man United's thrilling 4-3-3 formation under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Davinson Sanchez is confident Tottenham's squad is strong enough to mount a Premier League title challenge despite injuries to Harry Kane and Dele Alli. Three successive wins have lifted Spurs to within five points of leader Liverpool after 25 matches, putting it firmly in the title picture alongside Manchester City.
Sanchez: Spurs squad can cope in absence of Kane and Alli
Ajax Amsterdam took a massive stride towards a first Champions League final for 23 years as Donny van de Beek's early goal earned a 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their semifinal
Van de Beek gives Ajax edge over Tottenham in Champions
Son's late winner gives Tottenham edge over Man City the South Korean's late goal secured a 1-0 home win over Manchester City in an absorbing Champions League quarter-final first leg on
Son's late winner gives Tottenham edge over Man City
Spain's top flight football league La Liga said on Tuesday that several football players had been arrested as part of an investigation it instigated for suspected match fixing. At least two of the
Growing match-fixing probe in tennis snares more players
The ASEAN Football Federation (ASEAN is Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Championship begins tonight with Philippines vs Laos. Of course, nobody will actually see that, so we move on to the proper opening match featuring co-host Vietnam taking on my country Indonesia.
Singapore Football : No.1 Source for SG Football Compilation
Juventus achieved their objective, despite everything going wrong - Allegri Juventus finished top of their Champions League group despite slipping to a shock defeat to Young Boys.
Juventus achieved objective, despite everything going wrong
betandwins.com/2018/12/12/juventus-achieved-objective-despite-everything-going-wrong-allegri/
"We achieved our objective by winning the group, even on a night where everything seemed to go wrong," Allegri told Rai Sport. "We missed so many opportunities and gifted a penalty, so at the end of the day it was only right that we lost. "[Dybala's disallowed goal] was offside.
Champions League: Juventus achieved their objective, despite
The Singapore Slingers will be one of six teams who will contest the 2016 Merlion Cup from the 21st - 25th September 2016 at the OCBC Arena in Singapore. The Merlion Cup basketball tournament is making it's return after a 20 year hiatus, run by the Basketball Association of Singapore this will be the 10th edition of the Merlion Cup.
Merlion Cup 2019 Tickets | Official Ticketek tickets, tour
Kane insists club rivalries will not split England camp 20/03/2019 Oman Observer LONDON: England captain Harry Kane insists the Three Lions' squad are too united to be divided by the tension of club rivalries surrounding the Premier League title race and upcoming Champions League ties.
Kane insists club rivalries will not split England camp
Football: Search for missing Cardiff City's Emiliano Sala resumes in English Channel في January 23, 2019 sport, LONDON (REUTERS) - The scan for Cardiff City's new football star, Emiliano Sala, continued on Wednesday (Jan 23) 36 hours after the light flying machine he was flying on vanished in the English Channel.
Emiliano Sala missing plane: Search for Cardiff City's record
Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo is facing disciplinary action for his celebration after one of the three goals he scored in last week's 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Football: Cristiano Ronaldo faces disciplinary hearing over
North Shields FC and Wembley appearances, overcoats for goals and the Highbury clock. New book on Tyneside club's history reveals some startling facts, including the link between the Robins and
Harry Kane sets Wembley target for his reinvigorated
'Victory and goal for Sala', says Cardiff captain Bamba
FIFA says it has been in regular contact with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) over the Bahraini soccer player arrested in Thailand in November over a prison. sentence in his homeland.
FIFA says in regular contact with AFC over detained refugee
0 comments:
Post a Comment