FC Bayern: Behind the Legend (2021) s01e01 Episode Script
Episode 1
1
FOR GERD
MATCHDAY 29 / APRIL 17, 2021
VFL WOLFSBURG 2 - FC BAYERN 3
Bravo!
Thanks, man!
Okay, guys …
Johnny.
Men, men! Once again …
hats off to your performance
and to your mindset.
I know
your adrenaline levels are up to here,
and it's been
one of these days for me too.
I knew it was going to be close today,
because they had a good team.
It was great, although it got a little
hairy at the end. But I won't go there.
It's just good to have won 3-2.
Guys, I have something to say to you.
I think we have a great connection here,
a very close connection.
To me it's …
a real joy to work with you.
You have an attitude
that I haven't found anywhere else.
But …
How can I say this?
I'm at the end of my rope.
I think it's just very important
that you hear it from me.
What is FC Bayern?
The first that springs to mind is myth,
fascination,
very, very strong personalities,
legends!
Gerd Müller scores!
And of course
FC Bayern Munich itself is a legend.
Right now it's a very lonely legend.
Its very essence is missing, the fans.
FC Bayern differs from other clubs
in that it is managed
by former players.
Franz Beckenbauer
and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
were very successful together.
Uli Hoeneß
practically invented FC Bayern Munich.
That's the reason that to us
this club is a matter of the heart.
And sometimes
we take things too personally.
Sometimes emotions run high,
but you just do whatever's needed
in order for the team and the club
to be and remain successful.
Differences
are part and parcel of a real family.
But to find solutions anyway,
that is the essence
of the family feeling at FC Bayern.
FC Bayern
was a dream come true for me too.
But sometimes this dream
turned into a nightmare.
The brutality of losing a final
in the last few minutes
makes you wonder whether the soccer god
may be something of a sadist.
When things go well, it's easy to face
the cameras, but when things get tough,
that's when you have to step up.
FC Bayern always excelled at that.
It's where we get
this enormous strength.
While others struggle with defeats,
they make us stronger.
Kahn! Bayern!
Bayern wins!
Robben … Robben!
Unbelievable, Robben!
And the crazy thing is,
even with all these past successes,
and all these legends,
today's team could yet become
the most successful of them all.
If these guys win in Doha,
they will have played
the most successful season ever.
And that's crazy.
6 DAYS BEFORE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
TRAINING GROUND SÄBENER STRASSE
Field 1 is off-limits.
Faster! Go, go, go!
Apart from professionalism
and everything that's part of soccer
nowadays, what's most important
is that the guys stay cool.
I'm out of here, man.
- Just go.
No need to shower, you stink anyway.
So where's your shampoo?
- I'll swipe some.
Look! Check out what's in there!
- What about you? - What about me?
You hoarder! What's all that stuff?
- Care products!
Doping, more like! Look!
- Here, perfume.
I've got that too.
- Never heard of that, right?
So where's your shampoo?
- It's right here.
No, that's not shampoo.
- Sure.
If I catch you …
- Me?
He usually goes through your locker.
- I don't steal! - Soon as your gone,
he's in there.
- Me or you? - I pinch from Bouna.
That's it. I'm out of here.
What's for dinner?
Nothing special.
EXECUTIVE FLOOR - SÄBENER STRASSE
Just to stick to the rules …
Stay up to date, yeah.
- Easy.
Just think, you have dropping revenues,
but still you have to …
which is only right, by the way …
You have to adjust the salaries
of your top players.
Upwards.
- Yes, exactly. Leon, Jo
and Serge are all somewhere between …
yes, between 25 and 26 years old.
So effectively …
- The best age.
A raise of 50 percent. At least.
Ouch!
Our revenues won't be going up over
the next few years. On the contrary.
Especially now.
Well, that's what you're here for,
to bring in some money. - I know.
It just shows you
how perverse this business is.
You could only do something like that
if you're completely irrational.
Squaring the circle.
- But that's soccer for you.
MUNICH-GIESING
I loved this place from the start.
For me, it was all about
getting a feel for Munich,
to know what city you live in. I don't
think that's possible in Grünwald.
Congratulations on winning the title!
- Not yet, not yet. - Oh, come on!
I joined Bochum when I was seven,
and one or two years later
I played the big championships.
I've known Serge, Jo and Nicki
since that time.
I've known Leon longest of all.
We went to school together,
played in the school team.
I played against Leroy when he still
played for Schalke, and I knew him well.
So I know he was a guy who needed
clear messages. Sort of like me.
I met Nicki when I was 13,
or 14, and Leon a little later.
My connection with Serge
was even more intimate.
We met when we were twelve,
at a tournament at VfB Stuttgart.
I was still a guest player.
Hi, I'm Joshua Kimmich. I play for
VfB Stuttgart. This is my third season.
My personal goal for this year
is to improve myself.
It's just crazy. If you look at our
individual careers … Apart from Leroy
we all played
for the national youth teams.
And each of us went our own way.
I went from Bochum to Schalke
and ended up with Bayern.
Nicki came from Hoffenheim,
and Serge took
a completely different path.
He played for several teams in England.
Many thought he was going nowhere.
Then he did incredible things
at the Olympics.
Jo went from the 3rd division to the 2nd
and then came to Bayern. A big step!
He was always
ambitious and great with the ball,
but he was the one among us
I least expected to get this far.
People kept saying, "You're too small,
too slow and too physically weak."
But I think
that my iron will, my mindset
and discipline got me to where I am now.
He was always a bit mental.
Always bitching about,
if things didn't go his way.
He has a way of galvanizing others,
which he's really good at,
but sometimes he goes overboard.
That's a fact.
He was very emotional even back then,
and he always had an iron will to win.
He just couldn't accept defeat.
So he used to break down in tears.
When I was a kid
I did cry sometimes.
I couldn't handle the emotions
racing through me all that well yet.
The tears he spilt back then
are under control now, I think.
It was very special for us
to meet here again.
It's one thing to run for a team mate,
but it's different if he's a friend
with whom you have a connection,
and whom you can rely on.
Growing up together, playing soccer,
is a wonderful thing.
You can't plan a thing like that.
It's not like we said,
"Wouldn't it be great to play for Bayern
together and win the Champions League?"
And now
we face the challenge of shaping our own
era at Bayern, and that is something!
5 DAYS BEFORE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
CLUB GROUNDS SÄBENER STRASSE
At last, another test!
It's been ages since I had a test.
- That's nice, isn't it?
Morning.
- Hi there. - Hello.
Right or left?
- I can do it myself. - Yes? Okay.
We did thousands of tests this season.
On match days, training days …
And we went well beyond the scope
of the German Football League's concept,
just to make sure
that no one was infectious
during training or on match days.
Say Ah.
The players and coaches
are also part of society and have a life
outside the soccer stadium,
so they could still
get infected, despite all the safety
measures. No club can protect itself
from COVID-19 completely.
We have to get through this together.
Hey, Brazzo, best stay here. We got
a report yesterday … - I better go.
Then go.
We got a report from the Munich
Health Department, stating
they require us to apply
for an special permit …
One thing's for certain, if we can't
get the permit beforehand,
we can't have Lewandowski …
- Right. I spoke to Roland this morning,
because this flip-flopping is no good.
I won't write to them … - To whom?
I spoke to Roland,
and I'll give them a call. - Let's go.
The meeting is starting.
Mamma mia!
Welcome to my life.
It was time for our meeting.
So you drop everything you're doing,
because that's how
a soccer team works.
So then I sit here by myself … Still,
you just have to step back,
because it's all about the squad,
and once the meeting's over
I can carry on with my stuff.
Leroy, hi, good morning.
Basically it's my job to create
perfect working conditions
for everyone on the team.
And of course I have to reconcile
the club's economic interests
and the squad's sporting interests
in some way.
She's the best.
She's really awesome.
Not just for me, for all of us.
All of us. Just imagine …
23 jokers! Seriously.
You write her a text on WhatsApp,
and she remembers everything!
She's sort of like …
a mom or a big sister.
But she's definitely also
someone I can discuss serious things
with, or very private things.
She's really, really good
at what she does.
I've been doing this
for one and a half weeks now,
and I scored in almost every match,
so I'll keep doing it, of course.
I've always said,
when they allow cameras
in the dressing room, I quit.
But I'm having so much fun
playing soccer just now.
Put down one foot, take a step
and raise the other leg. That's it.
10 times. Go!
One. Right, go on.
I started when I was four
or five years old,
and everyone wore Bayern fan gear.
My birthday present was simple:
a Bayern jersey.
It was all I needed.
It wasn't a given that I would become
a professional player at Bayern.
At first I just tried to be good enough
to become a pro.
This focus on performance
has been with me from my earliest youth,
driven on by the fierce winner attitude
even the Bayern youth players have.
That rubs off,
but then, it also comes natural to me.
Everyone here
is already special, because we've all
managed to assert ourselves
in this rat race.
Come on, Thomas. If you start talking,
the break will get far too long.
Even Holger here, is just as
career-obsessed as the rest of us.
Make no mistake! Or he wouldn't
have slept his way to the top.
He's a really great guy. He can
be very funny, but also very annoying.
He has no off-switch!
I've never met any player
who could be so annoying,
during training and in a match,
as Thomas Müller.
So how can he be so good?
He moves like an 8th-division player,
but he's so quick-witted
that he's able to move faster
than all the others.
He's of such high quality
as I've never seen.
He's one of the best German players
in soccer history.
He's unbelievably efficient,
unbelievably clever,
his moves
may look rather crude at times,
but they're usually so right,
and sometimes just brilliant.
He is a free spirit.
He has to go wherever he wants.
When I coached Bayern Munich,
maybe I took a little too long
to understand him. It was my mistake.
He is a …
a top guy!
I think we could spend
a great time together.
Playing against him, however,
is really unpleasant.
His distaste for everything that's
not Bayern is written all over his face.
That makes it hard to just talk to him.
That's why we've never done that.
To stay on top,
you sometimes have to be unpleasant.
But it's not what I strive for.
Not dying beautifully is my philosophy.
Not everyone appreciates that,
but who likes people who always win?
In all honesty?
Hold the end position a bit. Good.
The Club World Cup in Doha
takes place at a time
when sports are not all-important,
because ethically, morally
and humanly
there are more important things
right now, like surviving.
But if you have the chance to play the
most successful season in 121 years,
despite all the legends of the past,
you want to make that happen if you can.
And honestly,
who'd have thought a year ago
that we'd get such an opportunity
with this team?
15 MONTHS EARLIER
MATCHDAY 10 / NOVEMBER 2, 2019
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT VS. FC BAYERN
Good afternoon and welcome to Bundesliga
football, welcome to Frankfurt!
Taking his place is Gonçalo Paciência
up against Jérôme Boateng.
Paciência!
That's gonna be a foul and a penalty.
He's actually giving Boateng a red card!
Bayern will be one man short
for 80 minutes.
Here's a low cross,
the shot is deflected, and it's 1-0!
Last season we got in a rut
where we didn't get the desired results,
didn't play the game we wanted,
and didn't win.
And it's a goal!
How bitter for Bayern.
I wonder what's going through
his mind … and through their minds.
There are no offensive fireworks.
Of course they're conceding goals,
because they're terribly insecure.
- They lack speed and drive.
Just look at the line-up.
And they even let Mats Hummels go.
Do they lack technical class?
What do they want to achieve
with this squad?
Coman will be under scrutiny.
- Pavard won the World Cup,
but the club he left
was relegated from the Bundesliga.
Their transfer policy?
- If you look at what they spent …
In November 2019
we lost 5-1 to Frankfurt,
and you felt like …
whatever our team was playing,
it wasn't the FC Bayern game.
So that Sunday
we decided to let Niko Kovač go.
Dortmund topped the league at the time,
we were in 5th or 6th place.
Hansi was assistant coach,
and we decided to make him head coach.
Until further notice.
- Hi, Hansi. - Hi.
I'm sure you have many questions,
so let's get started. - It's a big step
to become head coach, so it was
discussed at length within the club.
"Will he be able to handle it?"
and so on.
FC BAYERN VS. BORUSSIA DORTMUND
NOVEMBER 19, 2019
It's Hansi Flick's
first Bundesliga match as head coach
for FC Bayern.
Here we go! Bayern against Dortmund,
always an important game,
always with great repercussions.
Bayern get through on the right side,
a low cross from Gnabry.
Pavard puts it in the center,
and Lewi!
Boom! Boom! Lewi scores!
Kimmich to Müller. Lewandowski
and Gnabry to his right. Lewandowski …
Gnabry scores!
Lewandowski to Müller.
Lewandowski!
3-0, Bayern Munich, 76 minutes played.
Hansi Flick with his manner
and character coupled with this squad
were a match made in soccer heaven.
And suddenly they're soaring.
We kind of goaded ourselves on.
Every success
gave us more confidence.
We were like a black hole
that kept growing.
The Canadian's speed is unmatched.
The joy, the enthusiasm, the quality!
Even those who are against Bayern,
loved the way they played soccer.
On March 8 we played a match
against Augsburg.
With a sold-out stadium.
When we went into lockdown,
we drew all the right conclusions
and prepared the squad
from day 1
for what might be coming.
Lucas is here … And the next one.
Right!
- That's perfect.
It took us less than two days
to implement our scheme
to keep the guys fit without any hiatus.
So get to it. Have fun.
Everything came together perfectly,
and we got through the lockdown
in a phenomenal way.
We'll have to get used to
empty stadiums,
but at least
they're playing soccer again.
FC Bayern Munich
visiting Borussia Dortmund.
We were so sure of ourselves.
We had this awesome attitude!
What impressed me most
was their determination.
They never tried to hold on to the ball,
even though they were leading 4-0.
They just kept going and going.
GERMAN CHAMPIONS - JUNE 27, 2020
It was outstanding
what the squad did there.
And it was just great fun
to be part of that.
GERMAN CUP WINNERS - JULY 4, 2020
We didn't play matches, we crushed
everything that crossed our path.
And it culminated in the
Champions League Tournament in Lisbon.
The conditions here are ideal.
It's almost like a holiday.
An incredibly positive
atmosphere developed.
I got the impression,
"These guys want to do great things!"
These two and a half weeks were
the most beautiful I ever experienced.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTERFINAL
FC BAYERN VS. FC BARCELONA 08/14/2020
Thomas Müller passes to Lewandowski,
a nice one-two, and it's 2-1 for Bayern!
It was a joy.
This squad plays
on an enormously high level.
The way they play is …
They're machines, they go forward!
I'm a big fan, so I was sitting there,
saying, "How good, how attractive!"
Watching a game like that, where you
take a team like Barcelona apart,
it's as if you could fly.
And if our fans had been there,
if 70,000 people
had been in that stadium,
they would've torn it apart!
8-2, this is a true rout!
A show of dominance.
They're now favorites
to win the Champions League.
Great save, man.
- Badass!
I remember the headlines.
The whole world was saying
what a unique squad this was.
Who could possibly beat them?
Here come the Bayern side, led out
by Captain Manuel Neuer, of course.
In a mixture of calm, composure
and some smiles early on.
Serge Gnabry in particular.
"Do not change a winning team,"
the attitude from coach Hansi Flick.
And the guys increasingly felt,
"This is our chance!"
Here's Gnabry. Hasn't run out of space,
goes for it … What a goal!
It's like a rush you get into.
Perišić … into the center …
How has that not gone in? Now it has!
The legendary Berti Vogts once said,
"To win a tournament like this,
you have to jump on the right 'cloud',
and then you sail
through the tournament on it."
These guys certainly did
jump on the right cloud.
Lewandowski! FC Bayern Munich
are in the Champions League final
for the first time
since having won it back in 2013.
The idea of eleven friends,
of one spirit,
that most of us no longer believed
existed in soccer:
this team is living it.
It was nice to see the morale of
this squad. That's when I felt like,
"Okay, with this team spirit
they're going to win many titles."
They were basically the same players,
but Hansi has the ability
to bring a team together.
That was something quite extraordinary.
Yeah, man!
I was absolutely sure
Bayern was going to win.
I support Bayern. Sorry.
Just look at their body language,
their presence on the pitch. They all
stick together, even those on the bench,
the physiotherapists, everyone.
It is UEFA Champions League night,
and FC Bayern Munich
are involved.
Still goosebumps,
it doesn't matter if anyone's here
or not, the Champions League final …
You're ready?
- Starting now.
The more you win,
the more confidence you have,
and the more confidence you have,
the more you win.
I ranked Bayern number one.
An average performance wouldn't do,
because Bayern had the fitter team.
But that's the thing with soccer …
everything's possible.
The ball was on the right,
then Serge passed it to me.
Then the ball came back
to Jo, who played a cross to me
and I headed it home.
With my eyes shut. But it was a goal.
Heading with my eyes shut
is my specialty.
If Kingsley Coman starts heading goals,
luck is no longer on your side.
Or maybe Bayern simply deserved to win.
What gave me goosebumps
was how the players reacted
after the final whistle.
Of course they are a legendary team now.
They've got a place
in the history books.
You did a phenomenal job.
You can be proud of it.
Brazzo, come here.
My thanks go to you, men, the players.
It was just sensational. I've never …
Granted, it wasn't too hard.
But I've never coached
a team like you before. Thank you!
The team was so hungry!
They really wanted this title as well.
The ball enters the box …
Alaba …
Here's the rebound … Martinez!
Javi Martinez, what a story!
GERMAN SUPER CUP - SEPTEMBER 30, 2020
GERMAN SUPER CUP WINNERS
It's a great squad.
They've just won five titles.
And I wish them good luck
on winning the sixth one in Doha,
because this squad wants it badly,
and I'm optimistic that they'll succeed.
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
DOHA - FEBRUARY 6, 2021
Listen up. It's now 5:23 pm.
We'll have local time for a week.
So we're now on our way to the hotel
where you'll go straight to your rooms.
Don't hang around in the hallway
or someone else's room.
Stay in your rooms. Until I text you
the thumbs up, you're in quarantine.
What about the connecting door?
Not the connecting door either, no.
- Can you give us
an approximate time?
- Some time tonight.
They need 6 to 8 hours. Later on
I'll send you the schedule for the day.
Okay, dynamic knee angles,
swing your left and right hands.
Everyone on the whole team
has a big workload,
coaches, video analysts,
physiotherapists, doctors, players …
There are times when we have to work
straight through for three weeks.
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP SEMIFINAL
FC BAYERN VS. AL AHLY SC - 02/08/2021
FEBRUARY 9, 2021
TEAM HOTEL FC BAYERN, DOHA, QATAR
Yes, I think now you can fill the water.
- Fill the water to which level?
Of course I'm still …
rather new in the squad.
I'm still more or less
getting to know everyone.
What's special about this squad
is its hunger to keep going.
I want to be a part of that
and do my bit
to go on achieving these goals.
Crap …
The day after tomorrow
we're playing the Club World Cup Final.
And now look at Choupo,
sitting there, thinking
we're in Dubai, expecting a pool party.
Just look at Choupo!
Let him be, he's cool.
There's so much pressure in top sport.
So if the team spirit isn't good,
if there's no time to relax
in the daily routine,
you're making life much more difficult.
Cover him!
We have great team spirit, and our squad
has shown great character.
We're almost like a family.
That's Leroy's tactics,
stand around with the ball.
Now! Now!
- I think that's it!
Enough?
- Yeah.
Do we need all this backyard kicking?
At the end of the training session
I received a phone call, saying
Thomas had tested positive.
I have to hang up. We'll talk later.
We immediately
separated Thomas from the squad,
so as not to disrupt
our preparation for the final.
You stay in your room for now.
- Okay.
You may have to change rooms
within the hotel later on. - Yes.
Your room key.
- Enter the lift alone.
We have to wait for the test result.
And then we'll see what happens.
He might have cleaned his room.
Later that evening
a second test was done.
Where is Tommy?
- In his room just now.
And this second test was also positive.
FEBRUARY 11, 2021 - TACTICS MEETING
AHEAD OF THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP FINAL
We came to Doha
to win our sixth title.
Men, nothing else matters,
only this sixth title.
Each one of you can become
part of the most successful
FC Bayern squad of all time.
You can write history.
Remember, men: every tackle, every yard,
every pass, every shot will count
to win this thing, okay?
Be sharp. Give everything you got
for this sixth title.
Give everything you got for those of you
who can't be here: Thomas, Jérôme,
Leon, Javi, Alex,
Tanguy, Malik.
Let's go and have fun!
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP FINAL
FC BAYERN VS. UANL TIGRES - 02/11/2021
Get ready for the final
of the FIFA Club World Championship
between Tigres from CONCACAF and
Champions League winners Bayern Munich.
The goal is under review.
And it's ruled out.
Kimmich once more.
Decisive passing … and here it is!
The goal is given.
So Bayern on course for that desperately
desired sixth triumph of the year.
We go into four minutes of added time.
Six competitions they've entered,
six they will have won
if they hold out here.
Final minute!
Tigres are still quite keen
to get an equalizing goal here, to
at least take the match into extra time.
Men, 30 seconds!
Men, 30!
With their 1-0 success today,
Bayern Munich continue to be invincible.
They are the champions!
It was always, "Go, go, go!"
It was always like this. What can I do?
Champions League, Club World Cup …
But first the Euros this summer.
- Nah, no Euros, I'll be on holiday.
You okay?
- Another dead game.
Easy. Look, we're fighting
and running, man …
Our forward play wasn't 100 percent.
Always too scared.
We lacked strength.
Today's wasn't …
- But it's the final! - I know …
Sometimes we should play simpler.
You know, tick-tick …
One, two passes, no more.
- A pass, a one-two, and off we go.
If you play a cross-field pass
you get a one-on-one battle every time.
Then he can center the ball, whatever.
- It's like I said about the goals.
If you switch the play,
you create space and you can center.
You have to switch play
to the other side and free the ball.
Wonderful scene.
It's a perfect description
of what matters most,
staying hungry.
To talk about the future
right after your biggest triumph.
That's exactly what coaches and players
should preserve to stay successful,
because other teams
will be chasing them for the titles.
I mean, winning six titles is great.
But when Bayern wins six titles,
it means they will have to defend them.
I think he feels
the pressure mounting, like,
"God, what will the future hold?
All we can do now is lose!"
That'll be going through his head now.
Working for Bayern, you have to live
with this permanent pressure to succeed.
Creative Supervisor: D. Mark Skibo
FOR GERD
MATCHDAY 29 / APRIL 17, 2021
VFL WOLFSBURG 2 - FC BAYERN 3
Bravo!
Thanks, man!
Okay, guys …
Johnny.
Men, men! Once again …
hats off to your performance
and to your mindset.
I know
your adrenaline levels are up to here,
and it's been
one of these days for me too.
I knew it was going to be close today,
because they had a good team.
It was great, although it got a little
hairy at the end. But I won't go there.
It's just good to have won 3-2.
Guys, I have something to say to you.
I think we have a great connection here,
a very close connection.
To me it's …
a real joy to work with you.
You have an attitude
that I haven't found anywhere else.
But …
How can I say this?
I'm at the end of my rope.
I think it's just very important
that you hear it from me.
What is FC Bayern?
The first that springs to mind is myth,
fascination,
very, very strong personalities,
legends!
Gerd Müller scores!
And of course
FC Bayern Munich itself is a legend.
Right now it's a very lonely legend.
Its very essence is missing, the fans.
FC Bayern differs from other clubs
in that it is managed
by former players.
Franz Beckenbauer
and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
were very successful together.
Uli Hoeneß
practically invented FC Bayern Munich.
That's the reason that to us
this club is a matter of the heart.
And sometimes
we take things too personally.
Sometimes emotions run high,
but you just do whatever's needed
in order for the team and the club
to be and remain successful.
Differences
are part and parcel of a real family.
But to find solutions anyway,
that is the essence
of the family feeling at FC Bayern.
FC Bayern
was a dream come true for me too.
But sometimes this dream
turned into a nightmare.
The brutality of losing a final
in the last few minutes
makes you wonder whether the soccer god
may be something of a sadist.
When things go well, it's easy to face
the cameras, but when things get tough,
that's when you have to step up.
FC Bayern always excelled at that.
It's where we get
this enormous strength.
While others struggle with defeats,
they make us stronger.
Kahn! Bayern!
Bayern wins!
Robben … Robben!
Unbelievable, Robben!
And the crazy thing is,
even with all these past successes,
and all these legends,
today's team could yet become
the most successful of them all.
If these guys win in Doha,
they will have played
the most successful season ever.
And that's crazy.
6 DAYS BEFORE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
TRAINING GROUND SÄBENER STRASSE
Field 1 is off-limits.
Faster! Go, go, go!
Apart from professionalism
and everything that's part of soccer
nowadays, what's most important
is that the guys stay cool.
I'm out of here, man.
- Just go.
No need to shower, you stink anyway.
So where's your shampoo?
- I'll swipe some.
Look! Check out what's in there!
- What about you? - What about me?
You hoarder! What's all that stuff?
- Care products!
Doping, more like! Look!
- Here, perfume.
I've got that too.
- Never heard of that, right?
So where's your shampoo?
- It's right here.
No, that's not shampoo.
- Sure.
If I catch you …
- Me?
He usually goes through your locker.
- I don't steal! - Soon as your gone,
he's in there.
- Me or you? - I pinch from Bouna.
That's it. I'm out of here.
What's for dinner?
Nothing special.
EXECUTIVE FLOOR - SÄBENER STRASSE
Just to stick to the rules …
Stay up to date, yeah.
- Easy.
Just think, you have dropping revenues,
but still you have to …
which is only right, by the way …
You have to adjust the salaries
of your top players.
Upwards.
- Yes, exactly. Leon, Jo
and Serge are all somewhere between …
yes, between 25 and 26 years old.
So effectively …
- The best age.
A raise of 50 percent. At least.
Ouch!
Our revenues won't be going up over
the next few years. On the contrary.
Especially now.
Well, that's what you're here for,
to bring in some money. - I know.
It just shows you
how perverse this business is.
You could only do something like that
if you're completely irrational.
Squaring the circle.
- But that's soccer for you.
MUNICH-GIESING
I loved this place from the start.
For me, it was all about
getting a feel for Munich,
to know what city you live in. I don't
think that's possible in Grünwald.
Congratulations on winning the title!
- Not yet, not yet. - Oh, come on!
I joined Bochum when I was seven,
and one or two years later
I played the big championships.
I've known Serge, Jo and Nicki
since that time.
I've known Leon longest of all.
We went to school together,
played in the school team.
I played against Leroy when he still
played for Schalke, and I knew him well.
So I know he was a guy who needed
clear messages. Sort of like me.
I met Nicki when I was 13,
or 14, and Leon a little later.
My connection with Serge
was even more intimate.
We met when we were twelve,
at a tournament at VfB Stuttgart.
I was still a guest player.
Hi, I'm Joshua Kimmich. I play for
VfB Stuttgart. This is my third season.
My personal goal for this year
is to improve myself.
It's just crazy. If you look at our
individual careers … Apart from Leroy
we all played
for the national youth teams.
And each of us went our own way.
I went from Bochum to Schalke
and ended up with Bayern.
Nicki came from Hoffenheim,
and Serge took
a completely different path.
He played for several teams in England.
Many thought he was going nowhere.
Then he did incredible things
at the Olympics.
Jo went from the 3rd division to the 2nd
and then came to Bayern. A big step!
He was always
ambitious and great with the ball,
but he was the one among us
I least expected to get this far.
People kept saying, "You're too small,
too slow and too physically weak."
But I think
that my iron will, my mindset
and discipline got me to where I am now.
He was always a bit mental.
Always bitching about,
if things didn't go his way.
He has a way of galvanizing others,
which he's really good at,
but sometimes he goes overboard.
That's a fact.
He was very emotional even back then,
and he always had an iron will to win.
He just couldn't accept defeat.
So he used to break down in tears.
When I was a kid
I did cry sometimes.
I couldn't handle the emotions
racing through me all that well yet.
The tears he spilt back then
are under control now, I think.
It was very special for us
to meet here again.
It's one thing to run for a team mate,
but it's different if he's a friend
with whom you have a connection,
and whom you can rely on.
Growing up together, playing soccer,
is a wonderful thing.
You can't plan a thing like that.
It's not like we said,
"Wouldn't it be great to play for Bayern
together and win the Champions League?"
And now
we face the challenge of shaping our own
era at Bayern, and that is something!
5 DAYS BEFORE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
CLUB GROUNDS SÄBENER STRASSE
At last, another test!
It's been ages since I had a test.
- That's nice, isn't it?
Morning.
- Hi there. - Hello.
Right or left?
- I can do it myself. - Yes? Okay.
We did thousands of tests this season.
On match days, training days …
And we went well beyond the scope
of the German Football League's concept,
just to make sure
that no one was infectious
during training or on match days.
Say Ah.
The players and coaches
are also part of society and have a life
outside the soccer stadium,
so they could still
get infected, despite all the safety
measures. No club can protect itself
from COVID-19 completely.
We have to get through this together.
Hey, Brazzo, best stay here. We got
a report yesterday … - I better go.
Then go.
We got a report from the Munich
Health Department, stating
they require us to apply
for an special permit …
One thing's for certain, if we can't
get the permit beforehand,
we can't have Lewandowski …
- Right. I spoke to Roland this morning,
because this flip-flopping is no good.
I won't write to them … - To whom?
I spoke to Roland,
and I'll give them a call. - Let's go.
The meeting is starting.
Mamma mia!
Welcome to my life.
It was time for our meeting.
So you drop everything you're doing,
because that's how
a soccer team works.
So then I sit here by myself … Still,
you just have to step back,
because it's all about the squad,
and once the meeting's over
I can carry on with my stuff.
Leroy, hi, good morning.
Basically it's my job to create
perfect working conditions
for everyone on the team.
And of course I have to reconcile
the club's economic interests
and the squad's sporting interests
in some way.
She's the best.
She's really awesome.
Not just for me, for all of us.
All of us. Just imagine …
23 jokers! Seriously.
You write her a text on WhatsApp,
and she remembers everything!
She's sort of like …
a mom or a big sister.
But she's definitely also
someone I can discuss serious things
with, or very private things.
She's really, really good
at what she does.
I've been doing this
for one and a half weeks now,
and I scored in almost every match,
so I'll keep doing it, of course.
I've always said,
when they allow cameras
in the dressing room, I quit.
But I'm having so much fun
playing soccer just now.
Put down one foot, take a step
and raise the other leg. That's it.
10 times. Go!
One. Right, go on.
I started when I was four
or five years old,
and everyone wore Bayern fan gear.
My birthday present was simple:
a Bayern jersey.
It was all I needed.
It wasn't a given that I would become
a professional player at Bayern.
At first I just tried to be good enough
to become a pro.
This focus on performance
has been with me from my earliest youth,
driven on by the fierce winner attitude
even the Bayern youth players have.
That rubs off,
but then, it also comes natural to me.
Everyone here
is already special, because we've all
managed to assert ourselves
in this rat race.
Come on, Thomas. If you start talking,
the break will get far too long.
Even Holger here, is just as
career-obsessed as the rest of us.
Make no mistake! Or he wouldn't
have slept his way to the top.
He's a really great guy. He can
be very funny, but also very annoying.
He has no off-switch!
I've never met any player
who could be so annoying,
during training and in a match,
as Thomas Müller.
So how can he be so good?
He moves like an 8th-division player,
but he's so quick-witted
that he's able to move faster
than all the others.
He's of such high quality
as I've never seen.
He's one of the best German players
in soccer history.
He's unbelievably efficient,
unbelievably clever,
his moves
may look rather crude at times,
but they're usually so right,
and sometimes just brilliant.
He is a free spirit.
He has to go wherever he wants.
When I coached Bayern Munich,
maybe I took a little too long
to understand him. It was my mistake.
He is a …
a top guy!
I think we could spend
a great time together.
Playing against him, however,
is really unpleasant.
His distaste for everything that's
not Bayern is written all over his face.
That makes it hard to just talk to him.
That's why we've never done that.
To stay on top,
you sometimes have to be unpleasant.
But it's not what I strive for.
Not dying beautifully is my philosophy.
Not everyone appreciates that,
but who likes people who always win?
In all honesty?
Hold the end position a bit. Good.
The Club World Cup in Doha
takes place at a time
when sports are not all-important,
because ethically, morally
and humanly
there are more important things
right now, like surviving.
But if you have the chance to play the
most successful season in 121 years,
despite all the legends of the past,
you want to make that happen if you can.
And honestly,
who'd have thought a year ago
that we'd get such an opportunity
with this team?
15 MONTHS EARLIER
MATCHDAY 10 / NOVEMBER 2, 2019
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT VS. FC BAYERN
Good afternoon and welcome to Bundesliga
football, welcome to Frankfurt!
Taking his place is Gonçalo Paciência
up against Jérôme Boateng.
Paciência!
That's gonna be a foul and a penalty.
He's actually giving Boateng a red card!
Bayern will be one man short
for 80 minutes.
Here's a low cross,
the shot is deflected, and it's 1-0!
Last season we got in a rut
where we didn't get the desired results,
didn't play the game we wanted,
and didn't win.
And it's a goal!
How bitter for Bayern.
I wonder what's going through
his mind … and through their minds.
There are no offensive fireworks.
Of course they're conceding goals,
because they're terribly insecure.
- They lack speed and drive.
Just look at the line-up.
And they even let Mats Hummels go.
Do they lack technical class?
What do they want to achieve
with this squad?
Coman will be under scrutiny.
- Pavard won the World Cup,
but the club he left
was relegated from the Bundesliga.
Their transfer policy?
- If you look at what they spent …
In November 2019
we lost 5-1 to Frankfurt,
and you felt like …
whatever our team was playing,
it wasn't the FC Bayern game.
So that Sunday
we decided to let Niko Kovač go.
Dortmund topped the league at the time,
we were in 5th or 6th place.
Hansi was assistant coach,
and we decided to make him head coach.
Until further notice.
- Hi, Hansi. - Hi.
I'm sure you have many questions,
so let's get started. - It's a big step
to become head coach, so it was
discussed at length within the club.
"Will he be able to handle it?"
and so on.
FC BAYERN VS. BORUSSIA DORTMUND
NOVEMBER 19, 2019
It's Hansi Flick's
first Bundesliga match as head coach
for FC Bayern.
Here we go! Bayern against Dortmund,
always an important game,
always with great repercussions.
Bayern get through on the right side,
a low cross from Gnabry.
Pavard puts it in the center,
and Lewi!
Boom! Boom! Lewi scores!
Kimmich to Müller. Lewandowski
and Gnabry to his right. Lewandowski …
Gnabry scores!
Lewandowski to Müller.
Lewandowski!
3-0, Bayern Munich, 76 minutes played.
Hansi Flick with his manner
and character coupled with this squad
were a match made in soccer heaven.
And suddenly they're soaring.
We kind of goaded ourselves on.
Every success
gave us more confidence.
We were like a black hole
that kept growing.
The Canadian's speed is unmatched.
The joy, the enthusiasm, the quality!
Even those who are against Bayern,
loved the way they played soccer.
On March 8 we played a match
against Augsburg.
With a sold-out stadium.
When we went into lockdown,
we drew all the right conclusions
and prepared the squad
from day 1
for what might be coming.
Lucas is here … And the next one.
Right!
- That's perfect.
It took us less than two days
to implement our scheme
to keep the guys fit without any hiatus.
So get to it. Have fun.
Everything came together perfectly,
and we got through the lockdown
in a phenomenal way.
We'll have to get used to
empty stadiums,
but at least
they're playing soccer again.
FC Bayern Munich
visiting Borussia Dortmund.
We were so sure of ourselves.
We had this awesome attitude!
What impressed me most
was their determination.
They never tried to hold on to the ball,
even though they were leading 4-0.
They just kept going and going.
GERMAN CHAMPIONS - JUNE 27, 2020
It was outstanding
what the squad did there.
And it was just great fun
to be part of that.
GERMAN CUP WINNERS - JULY 4, 2020
We didn't play matches, we crushed
everything that crossed our path.
And it culminated in the
Champions League Tournament in Lisbon.
The conditions here are ideal.
It's almost like a holiday.
An incredibly positive
atmosphere developed.
I got the impression,
"These guys want to do great things!"
These two and a half weeks were
the most beautiful I ever experienced.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTERFINAL
FC BAYERN VS. FC BARCELONA 08/14/2020
Thomas Müller passes to Lewandowski,
a nice one-two, and it's 2-1 for Bayern!
It was a joy.
This squad plays
on an enormously high level.
The way they play is …
They're machines, they go forward!
I'm a big fan, so I was sitting there,
saying, "How good, how attractive!"
Watching a game like that, where you
take a team like Barcelona apart,
it's as if you could fly.
And if our fans had been there,
if 70,000 people
had been in that stadium,
they would've torn it apart!
8-2, this is a true rout!
A show of dominance.
They're now favorites
to win the Champions League.
Great save, man.
- Badass!
I remember the headlines.
The whole world was saying
what a unique squad this was.
Who could possibly beat them?
Here come the Bayern side, led out
by Captain Manuel Neuer, of course.
In a mixture of calm, composure
and some smiles early on.
Serge Gnabry in particular.
"Do not change a winning team,"
the attitude from coach Hansi Flick.
And the guys increasingly felt,
"This is our chance!"
Here's Gnabry. Hasn't run out of space,
goes for it … What a goal!
It's like a rush you get into.
Perišić … into the center …
How has that not gone in? Now it has!
The legendary Berti Vogts once said,
"To win a tournament like this,
you have to jump on the right 'cloud',
and then you sail
through the tournament on it."
These guys certainly did
jump on the right cloud.
Lewandowski! FC Bayern Munich
are in the Champions League final
for the first time
since having won it back in 2013.
The idea of eleven friends,
of one spirit,
that most of us no longer believed
existed in soccer:
this team is living it.
It was nice to see the morale of
this squad. That's when I felt like,
"Okay, with this team spirit
they're going to win many titles."
They were basically the same players,
but Hansi has the ability
to bring a team together.
That was something quite extraordinary.
Yeah, man!
I was absolutely sure
Bayern was going to win.
I support Bayern. Sorry.
Just look at their body language,
their presence on the pitch. They all
stick together, even those on the bench,
the physiotherapists, everyone.
It is UEFA Champions League night,
and FC Bayern Munich
are involved.
Still goosebumps,
it doesn't matter if anyone's here
or not, the Champions League final …
You're ready?
- Starting now.
The more you win,
the more confidence you have,
and the more confidence you have,
the more you win.
I ranked Bayern number one.
An average performance wouldn't do,
because Bayern had the fitter team.
But that's the thing with soccer …
everything's possible.
The ball was on the right,
then Serge passed it to me.
Then the ball came back
to Jo, who played a cross to me
and I headed it home.
With my eyes shut. But it was a goal.
Heading with my eyes shut
is my specialty.
If Kingsley Coman starts heading goals,
luck is no longer on your side.
Or maybe Bayern simply deserved to win.
What gave me goosebumps
was how the players reacted
after the final whistle.
Of course they are a legendary team now.
They've got a place
in the history books.
You did a phenomenal job.
You can be proud of it.
Brazzo, come here.
My thanks go to you, men, the players.
It was just sensational. I've never …
Granted, it wasn't too hard.
But I've never coached
a team like you before. Thank you!
The team was so hungry!
They really wanted this title as well.
The ball enters the box …
Alaba …
Here's the rebound … Martinez!
Javi Martinez, what a story!
GERMAN SUPER CUP - SEPTEMBER 30, 2020
GERMAN SUPER CUP WINNERS
It's a great squad.
They've just won five titles.
And I wish them good luck
on winning the sixth one in Doha,
because this squad wants it badly,
and I'm optimistic that they'll succeed.
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP
DOHA - FEBRUARY 6, 2021
Listen up. It's now 5:23 pm.
We'll have local time for a week.
So we're now on our way to the hotel
where you'll go straight to your rooms.
Don't hang around in the hallway
or someone else's room.
Stay in your rooms. Until I text you
the thumbs up, you're in quarantine.
What about the connecting door?
Not the connecting door either, no.
- Can you give us
an approximate time?
- Some time tonight.
They need 6 to 8 hours. Later on
I'll send you the schedule for the day.
Okay, dynamic knee angles,
swing your left and right hands.
Everyone on the whole team
has a big workload,
coaches, video analysts,
physiotherapists, doctors, players …
There are times when we have to work
straight through for three weeks.
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP SEMIFINAL
FC BAYERN VS. AL AHLY SC - 02/08/2021
FEBRUARY 9, 2021
TEAM HOTEL FC BAYERN, DOHA, QATAR
Yes, I think now you can fill the water.
- Fill the water to which level?
Of course I'm still …
rather new in the squad.
I'm still more or less
getting to know everyone.
What's special about this squad
is its hunger to keep going.
I want to be a part of that
and do my bit
to go on achieving these goals.
Crap …
The day after tomorrow
we're playing the Club World Cup Final.
And now look at Choupo,
sitting there, thinking
we're in Dubai, expecting a pool party.
Just look at Choupo!
Let him be, he's cool.
There's so much pressure in top sport.
So if the team spirit isn't good,
if there's no time to relax
in the daily routine,
you're making life much more difficult.
Cover him!
We have great team spirit, and our squad
has shown great character.
We're almost like a family.
That's Leroy's tactics,
stand around with the ball.
Now! Now!
- I think that's it!
Enough?
- Yeah.
Do we need all this backyard kicking?
At the end of the training session
I received a phone call, saying
Thomas had tested positive.
I have to hang up. We'll talk later.
We immediately
separated Thomas from the squad,
so as not to disrupt
our preparation for the final.
You stay in your room for now.
- Okay.
You may have to change rooms
within the hotel later on. - Yes.
Your room key.
- Enter the lift alone.
We have to wait for the test result.
And then we'll see what happens.
He might have cleaned his room.
Later that evening
a second test was done.
Where is Tommy?
- In his room just now.
And this second test was also positive.
FEBRUARY 11, 2021 - TACTICS MEETING
AHEAD OF THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP FINAL
We came to Doha
to win our sixth title.
Men, nothing else matters,
only this sixth title.
Each one of you can become
part of the most successful
FC Bayern squad of all time.
You can write history.
Remember, men: every tackle, every yard,
every pass, every shot will count
to win this thing, okay?
Be sharp. Give everything you got
for this sixth title.
Give everything you got for those of you
who can't be here: Thomas, Jérôme,
Leon, Javi, Alex,
Tanguy, Malik.
Let's go and have fun!
FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP FINAL
FC BAYERN VS. UANL TIGRES - 02/11/2021
Get ready for the final
of the FIFA Club World Championship
between Tigres from CONCACAF and
Champions League winners Bayern Munich.
The goal is under review.
And it's ruled out.
Kimmich once more.
Decisive passing … and here it is!
The goal is given.
So Bayern on course for that desperately
desired sixth triumph of the year.
We go into four minutes of added time.
Six competitions they've entered,
six they will have won
if they hold out here.
Final minute!
Tigres are still quite keen
to get an equalizing goal here, to
at least take the match into extra time.
Men, 30 seconds!
Men, 30!
With their 1-0 success today,
Bayern Munich continue to be invincible.
They are the champions!
It was always, "Go, go, go!"
It was always like this. What can I do?
Champions League, Club World Cup …
But first the Euros this summer.
- Nah, no Euros, I'll be on holiday.
You okay?
- Another dead game.
Easy. Look, we're fighting
and running, man …
Our forward play wasn't 100 percent.
Always too scared.
We lacked strength.
Today's wasn't …
- But it's the final! - I know …
Sometimes we should play simpler.
You know, tick-tick …
One, two passes, no more.
- A pass, a one-two, and off we go.
If you play a cross-field pass
you get a one-on-one battle every time.
Then he can center the ball, whatever.
- It's like I said about the goals.
If you switch the play,
you create space and you can center.
You have to switch play
to the other side and free the ball.
Wonderful scene.
It's a perfect description
of what matters most,
staying hungry.
To talk about the future
right after your biggest triumph.
That's exactly what coaches and players
should preserve to stay successful,
because other teams
will be chasing them for the titles.
I mean, winning six titles is great.
But when Bayern wins six titles,
it means they will have to defend them.
I think he feels
the pressure mounting, like,
"God, what will the future hold?
All we can do now is lose!"
That'll be going through his head now.
Working for Bayern, you have to live
with this permanent pressure to succeed.
Creative Supervisor: D. Mark Skibo