Krätzig after his senior debut: ‘Only really starts now for me’

Frans Krätzig was born in 2003 and has been a part of Bayern’s youth system since the FC Bayern Campus first opened. And last Saturday he made his senior debut for the club against Bochum when the 20-year-old left-back came on for Alphonso Davies in the 65th minute.

Coach Thomas Tuchel only had positive words for the youngster after his almost half-hour display: “He’s deserved his chance for weeks now. He’s always focused in training and brings a great deal of joy. I didn’t expect anything other than this performance from him because that’s always what he shows during the week,” the 50-year-old said.

“I’m so happy and proud to have made by Bundesliga debut for this great club,” Krätzig said. “For me, Saturday saw my dream come true. I came to the Campus at the age of 15 and would like to thank everyone who’s accompanied me and helped me over the last six years. I’d especially like to thank Thomas Tuchel, who allowed me to fulfil this dream. But I also know it only really starts now for me.”

Goal of the Month against Liverpool

Krätzig came to the Campus from Nürnberg in summer 2017 and has progressed through every Bayern youth team from U15 level. In 2022/23, he stepped up to the reserves as a central midfielder. However, since the left-back berth was vacant after the winter break, coach Holger Seitz opted for the now 20-year-old left-footer.

In his new, unaccustomed position, Krätzig put in convincing displays in the second half of the fourth-tier Regionalliga campaign and played the full 90 minutes in almost every game, contributing two goals. Those performances didn’t go unnoticed higher up, with Krätzig included in the squad for the Audi Summer Tour to Asia. He featured in both games against Manchester City and Liverpool, even scoring the winner in the 4-3 victory over Jürgen Klopp’s side in Singapore. It was a strike voted by fans as the club’s Goal of the Month for August.

“Immediately sent a congratulatory text to Frans”

Krätzig has regularly been a part of the first-team squad since the tour and waiting patiently for his debut. That moment finally came on Saturday, 23 September when he replaced Davies in his new position for the final 25 minutes of the 7-0 win over Bochum. He almost got another goal as well, forcing a save out of goalkeeper Manuel Riemann from just inside the penalty area.

“I immediately sent a congratulatory text to Frans,” said Jochen Sauer, Bayern’s head of youth development. “He was one of the first players I spoke to with his parents at Säbener Straße to bring him from Nürnberg. He’s come through the Campus from its first day of operation. It makes me even happier that he’s now with the first team and made his Bundesliga debut.” Sauer won’t be the only one hoping to see more action from Krätzig at senior level.

We saw Krätzig in action in our first season of FC Bayern Campus Stories:

Our report from the 7-0 win over Bochum: