Eberl ahead of the reunion with RB: "There is no anger"

Looking back on his time in Leipzig, Bayern sporting director Max Eberl holds no grudges ahead of the reunion. "There's no anger, no rage or anything like that. There is rivalry," said Eberl. And this rivalry will also exist in the Bundesliga match on Friday (20:30/DAZN and Sat.1).

"We want the points to stay in the Allianz Arena," said the 51-year-old ahead of the first showdown as Bayern manager with the Saxons. Although Eberl was no longer working for RB at the last clash on February 24, he was not yet under contract with FC Bayern.

Vision: Toppling Bayern from the throne

Eberl has been Munich's sporting director since March 1, 2024. The long-serving Gladbach player was initially released from his duties in Leipzig, but his contract was later terminated prematurely. RB paid a seven-figure transfer fee for Eberl's move to FC Bayern.

"I made Leipzig back then, I communicated that before, because I wanted to attack Bayern. That was the big vision. To knock Bayern off the throne in their title race," said Eberl ahead of the Christmas reunion. "After a year, we realized that RB and Max Eberl might not be the right fit. I don't think that's dramatic now."

"Manly" discussions with Mintzlaff

The relationship with former RB sporting director Rouven Schröder is just as good as that with Leipzig's sporting director Marcel Schäfer. Eberl described the relationship with Red Bull managing director Oliver Mintzlaff as "totally professional" the day before the game. They had sat down together at the time and discussed the situation "totally manfully".

Eberl already worked with RB coach Marco Rose before his time in Leipzig at Borussia Mönchengladbach. "Marco Rose and I have a very close relationship," said Eberl. Rose also emphasized this before the reunion. "Of course we're still in good contact with Max, regularly. We not only understood each other as boss and coach and worked well together, but we are also friends," said the RB coach.