Max Eberl, a Bavarian native and FC Bayern junior team product, is Mönchengladbach director of sport, and one of the architects of Borussia's current success. Now 38 years of age, he lined up alongside Christian Nerlinger and Markus Babbel in Bayern's German U-17 championship-winning side in 1989. He made 48 third division appearances for the FCB reserves between 1991 and 1994, and played for the first team in the Bundesliga on one occasion, in October 1991.
After leaving Munich, Eberl played for Bochum and Fürth, before seeing out his career with a spell at Mönchengladbach from 1999 to 2005. In total, the defender made 215 appearances in the German first and second divisions. He joined the Borussia staff in 2005, initially as youth coordinator, and since October 2008, as director of sport. Prior to the Bundesliga restart clash, Eberl spoke to fcbayern.de about Friday's match, Gladbach's excellent season so far, and the departure of starlet Marco Reus next summer.
Interview: Max Eberl
fcbayern.de: Back in August last year, Borussia Mönchengladbach beat Bayern 1-0 away from home on the opening day of the season. Was that a historic success?
Max Eberl: Beating Bayern is very unusual indeed for any club, and extremely special for Borussia Mönchengladbach, as we'd only ever won once in Munich before. Our victory that day in Munich was incredibly important, because it gave us confidence for the entire first half of the season.
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