Created on 31-07-2008 at 00:00 AM
The second annual Franz Beckenbauer Cup, when Bayern meet Internazionale on 5 August at the Allianz Arena, offers the mouth-watering prospect of a clash between the German and Italian champions, under celebrated new coaches Jürgen Klinsmann and José Mourinho. The test against the Nerazzurri is Bayern’s final run-out before the German Cup first round trip to Rot-Weiß Erfurt six days later, whereas Inter, Serie A champions for the last three seasons, are not in competitive action until three weeks after that.
The new Inter boss is looking forward to crossing swords with FCB. “It’s an honour for us to meet Franz Beckenbauer and play in his Cup,“ Mourinho exclusively told fcbayern.de. By the way: Tickets are still available in all categories for the match, which kicks off at 8.30 pm CET.
Interview: José Mourinho
fcbayern.de: Mister, you took up the position of head coach at Italian champions Inter just two weeks ago. How have you spent your first few days in charge?
José Mourinho: “We’re still at the stage where I’m adapting to the players, and the players to me. Unfortunately I have four top players injured - Walter Samuel, Ivan Cordoba, Cristian Chivu and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. But we’re working to be ready for the start of Serie A in late August.“
fcbayern.de: You’re bringing your new team to the Allianz Arena on 5 August to play Bayern. What do you associate most with Bayern Munich football club?
Mourinho: “Bayern Munich is without doubt one of the best clubs in the world. I remember when I was a child, my father took me to the Da Luz stadium to watch Benfica play Bayern. Some incredible footballers such as Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Sepp Maier and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge played in that team, it was really super.“
fcbayern.de: Bayern also have a new head coach, Jürgen Klinsmann. Do you know him personally, and how would you describe him as a person and as a coach?
Mourinho: “I met him in the USA, he came to our UCLA training camp to watch us train a couple of times. He is a very nice person, very open minded. I wish him all the very best in Munich.“
fcbayern.de: How important is the friendly match against Bayern in your pre-season plans, and what do you expect from your opponents?
Mourinho: “Bayern have already played their Supercup and they are almost ready to start the Bundesliga. They are ready and we are not. We’ve only been training for 15 days, as Serie A doesn’t start until late August. I’m expecting a difficult game for us, but that’s actually fine. I want it to be difficult now to make it easier later.”
fcbayern.de: Tuesday’s match is more than just a friendly, as the Franz Beckenbauer Cup is at stake. You could come away with a first trophy of the season.
Mourinho: “I know Mr Beckenbauer as a great man. He is very well known all over the world and everyone respects him a lot. It’s an honour for us to meet him and play in his Cup. Of course we will try to win, but without Materazzi, Chivu, Samuel, Cordoba and Rivas, I may need Mr Bekckenbauer to play as a central defender in our team.“
fcbayern.de: Many thanks for talking to us, and all the best for your first season in Milan.