Winning UEFA Champions League key to boosting Bundesliga: Oliver Kahn
Bayern Munich’s chief executive Oliver Kahn believes the key to making the Bundesliga more competitive is for German club sides to improve in the UEFA Champions League first.
Bayern Munich won their 10th straight Bundesliga title this season, leading to complaints about the lack of excitement at the summit of the German top-flight.
In contrast, Bayern Munich went out in the 2021/2022 UEFA Champions League last eight, with other German entrants long gone.
“More top stars in the league and excitement at the top are things that help sell TV rights at home and abroad. And it is precisely here that we have recently lost ground dramatically,” Kahn said on Saturday.
“We are happy to work with the German Football League (DFL) on solutions to help the top German clubs keep up in the UEFA Champions League as well.”
The DFL has said it may even consider play-offs at the top of the Bundesliga to try to restrict Bayern Munich’s dominance.
But Bayern Munich have laughed off the prospect and few fans think it is a serious plan.
The Bavarians have often complained they cannot compete in the transfer market with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Manchester City, who are supported by Qatari and Abu Dhabi billionaires.
But Kahn thinks the 2020 UEFA Champions League winners must still continue to aim high.
“Without success in the UEFA Champions League, the entire Bundesliga will continue to lose ground in marketing, and that will then ultimately affect all clubs,” the 52-year-old added.
“It is our (Bayern Munich’s) goal to have a team that can play at the very top of the UEFA Champions League next season as well. So, we will automatically be favourites for the German championship title again.”
(dpa/NAN)
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