The current situation surrounding the spread of the coronavirus has greatly altered life as we know it for the time being, and football has also suffered as a result. The Bundesliga and Champions League have been suspended until further notice, and the European Championship has been postponed until June 2021. FC Bayern receives daily questions from a number of sources: members, fans and the media. Here FC Bayern officials give answers to the main questions about the team and what the situation means for the club:
How is the team dealing with the situation?
Hansi Flick, head coach: "We all have to try to deal with the situation in a positive way, us coaches, our entire performance team, the players. Yesterday at 11 am, we had our first "Cyber Training", where the team were coached remotely. Everyone was motivated, everyone did very well. It will be important that we are in contact with one another daily. The whole group is there for training. In addition, I have already started to exchange information with small groups of players via video calls. Our team of coaches has planned sessions which can last 90 minutes or 75 minutes, depending on the training focus. Yesterday the focus was on stability training. At the end there was an intensive session on the spinning bike. Basically we will switch between basic endurance and high intensity interval training, plus strength training. Everybody can see the coach on their tablet, so they can also do all the exercises we broadcast from Säbener Straße. We are also prepared for the possibility of a lockdown, which seems conceivable, for which we have developed home office solutions. We are well prepared for everything that might come - for new challenges that the ever-changing situation brings. We have to accept this, just like everyone else in our country."
Is it possible to keep a team in shape working from home, or bring them back up to speed in the cases of those injured or recovering?
Professor Dr. Holger Broich, head of science and head fitness coach: "As far as the team is concerned, we must now focus on training that maintains their condition. Fitness can be well controlled virtually with physical exercise, strength and endurance training. Our first "cyber training" over 90 minutes worked really well yesterday. The guys are equipped with the fitness recording clocks. That means we get all relevant data of each player, such as the heart rate, on our monitors at Säbener Straße. Compiling the performance data is unproblematic with this system, but only the athletic data. What I am very pleased about is the positive group atmosphere that is created, even when everyone is only virtually connected. The boys then don't meet on the field, but online. The same regularity and discipline is required of the players. When the training was over yesterday, the video transmission was far from over. The players talked to each other, exchanged ideas. That's why the video training sessions are an important social experience at this time too."
The Bavarian state government has declared the situation a disaster. Public life is to be wound down. This will also affect those who exercise recreationally, because gyms, sports and playgrounds, and fitness studios will remain closed. Does that mean that FC Bayern players will not be able or allowed to train on the field either?
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, CEO: "FC Bayern supports every measure taken by the Bavarian government, because at present there can only be one goal for us all: To slow down the spread of the coronavirus. Our players are currently training from home. We are also trying to set an example here because I have the feeling that there are still people who may not have fully grasped the gravity of the situation. Theoretically, our pros could train in small groups of four or five players throughout the day at our training ground on Säbener Strasse, because that's where they work. So far, going to work and working is allowed under the restrictions that now exist, with a high percentage of the workforce working from home. However, together with the coaching team we decided to not send the players in to train, to do without it. Now we have to wait and see how the numbers of cases of people infected with the virus develops and multiplies. We must all act with discipline and creativity here. As the situation changes daily, we will have to continually reassess and decide accordingly."
How hard is the coronavirus hitting FC Bayern financially?
Jan-Christian Dreesen, CFO: "FC Bayern has certainly done well in recent years, which enables the club to overcome crises. We cannot say today how long this crisis will last and what further measures will be taken along with those measure already taken to combat the coronavirus. This means that FC Bayern - like every other company in Germany - will have to cope in an even more difficult situation if the crisis lasts for a longer period of time. Of course, we have to constantly reassess the ever-changing situation and therefore cannot say today what the economic impact will be if the situation worsens. This is also because the general conditions in which we operate, such as whether a competition is being played or not, have significant effects for us, not only in sporting terms but also in commercial terms and are not solely influenced by us. One thing is already clear: in national and international football, clubs, leagues and associations face huge challenges to stay afloat. The good news is that football will continue to be played even after the crisis, and we will then need the excellent people who work at FC Bayern even more."
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