All focus shifts now to the German ‘Der Klassiker’ as two of the team’s most talented individuals Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski and Dortmund’s Erling Haaland face off each other for probably the last time in their respective teams.
The upcoming summer transfer window will be a crucial one in deciding what their future moves will be.
Both the goal scoring machines will be playing against each other for the seventh time on Saturday which could well prove to be their ‘last dance’ in the German league as well. as per reports by Xinhua.
“They are international stars standing above all others in the league and are drawing the most international attention,” Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said ahead of his team’s German Clasico challenge.
“It’s nothing to be happy about when we lose them,” Watzke added.
The clash between the two German giants will be seen with both excitement and fear about whether the two stars of the game will be continuing with their respective teams or not.
Bayern’s top scorer is said to be moving to either Paris or Barcelona in the upcoming transfer window while the young and talented Erling Haaland is said to be joining Manchester City. Both of these future transfers are still to be confirmed by the club and will definitely include an element of suspense to it as well if and when it will be official.
Despite of what happens in the transfer window, the fans will be looking forward to an action packed game between the two sides.
Bayern have been getting the better of their Dortmund counterparts recently and have won all games in which Haaland has played. The Norwegian has scored five goals whereas the Polish striker has nine goals in his bag.
Erling Haaland was able to get the attention of the footballing world in spectacular fashion from the start of his career, from his UEFA Champions League exploits with Salzburg to his current goalscoring fiascos with Dortmund. Lewandowski is a veteran of the Bundesliga now and has created and broken several scoring records in the league.
The man who has won the Bundesliga Golden boot a record six times had scored an amazing total of 41 goals in the 2020/2021 Bundesliga season, breaking the legendary German player Gerd Muller’s record of 40 which had been set by him in the 1971/72 season.
While the other senior players like Thomas Mueller (32) and Manuel Neuer (36) having agreed to a one year extension till 2024 with the club, Lewandowski and his agent Pini Zahavi want a two year contract renewal including a raise in the player’s wages.
Both Muller and Neuer have agreed to add an option to extend their contract for a further year and it will be interesting to see whether the Pole will be agreeing to such arrangement with the club or not.
The reports that are being circulated related to the Polish international say that the player is open to move to another club next season and the club will be putting up a price tag of around 40 Million euros which will be used to further replenish the squad for the future.
Borussia Dortmund too, have the same plan in mind which will see Erling Haaland’s 75 Million euro release clause being used for his replacement and for any further improvement in the squad.
“We just can’t compete with the big and rich clubs from the Premier League,” Dortmund boss Watzke said.
“the entire package of the Haaland deal is beyond our imagination. We have to take financial responsibility for our club.” Bayern chairman Oliver Kahn said.
Reports suggest that it will take around 300-350 Million euros overall to afford Erling Haaland in one’s club in the future.
Bayern Munich are accustomed to having regular periods of success when the status of the club comes in mind. They will have to make the analysis of whether the Polish striker will be able to deliver the goods with his increasing age in order to bring back the silverware to the club after facing disappointing exits in both the German cup and the Champions League.
(Inputs from IANS)