Bayern throw weight behind call for change

Top officials at Bayern have repeated their dismay at the lengthy absence of star players on international duty and have called for world governing body FIFA to review the situation. “It’s absurd that club coaches are deprived of players for ten or more days. A compromise would be to play internationals on Saturday and Tuesday," coach Ottmar Hitzfeld declared in Munich on Sunday. Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and club President Franz Beckenbauer had earlier voiced their displeasure at the current arrangements.

Beckenbauer condemned as “ridiculous“ and “a glaring error in the match calendar“ the situation whereby players only return to their clubs a day or two before league matches, sometimes after travelling enormous distances. “My plea is to reverse the current order in two-matchday international breaks, i.e. play on the first Wednesday and then the following Saturday,” the Kaiser wrote in the mass-circulation Bild.

Hitzfeld calls for compromise

Beckenbauer’s plan would see the players return to their clubs by the Monday ahead of the following weekend’s league fixture at the latest, but Hitzfeld feared the suggestion would fall on deaf ears. “That won’t be acceptable to FIFA,” the 59-year-old commented.

Rummenigge appealed directly to UEFA President Michel Platini. “I’ve asked him to raise the matter with FIFA and support us in our efforts, because it can’t go on like this,” Rummenigge told the Munich Abendzeitung. Agreeing with Hitzfeld, he called for a compromise with the first match on Friday or Saturday and the second on Tuesday.

Supported by Schalke

“It would give the players another full day to recover,” argued the former world-class striker. A “wonderful agreement” regarding the demands on international players had already been struck with the German Football Association (DFB). Bayern’s call gained support from Schalke general manager Andreas Müller: “Who pays the players’ wages?” the former player rhetorically asked.

Last week, the case of Martin Demichelis provided an example of the arduous travel often required by the international calendar, as the Argentina defender spent 42 hours in the air in order to play one friendly in Australia. Furthermore, jetlagged Brazil captain Lucio returned to Munich from two matches in the USA just a day ahead of the league showdown with Schalke.

Many clubs affected

“The build-up was very difficult because of the international matches. It’s not ideal, and you probably fall 10 percent below your best. I think that was clear today,” Bayern skipper Oliver Kahn grumbled after Saturday’s 1-1 draw. Hitzfeld went so far as to assess his player’s performance deficit at 20 percent.

The problem is far from exclusive to Bayern, as it also affects the Bundesliga’s other top clubs such as Schalke, VfB Stuttgart and Werder Bremen, whose influential Brazilian playmaker Diego only made it back to his club on Friday before taking the field against Borussia Dortmund the very same evening.