Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann has been infected with the corona virus and is in quarantine. For this he has set up an “analysis center” in the kitchen. It remains to be seen how long he will be absent.
Nagelsmann looked visibly relaxed at the press conference before the game against TSG Hoffenheim. The Bayern coach, who was infected with the corona virus, was connected online from his house and reported in a good mood that he was noticeably better.
The day before, you could hear it, that was not the case. However, the malaise was more due to the cold that he had before the positive test, said Nagelsmann. “I had no symptoms typical of corona. My tests were always negative, not until the last one on Wednesday.” And: “Now I’m already relatively happy again”, but he was already “frightened”, mainly because he didn’t know “where I got it from”.
Coaching from the hotel room
The coach received the positive test result in Lisbon, of all places, shortly before the Champions League game against Benfica on Wednesday evening, which Bayern impressively won 4-0. As a result, Nagelsmann stayed in the hotel room while his team played. He kept in touch with the coaching team in the stadium via mobile phone and WhatsApp – and even intervened in a decisive manner.
In the 66th minute, he ordered the courageous substitution of attacker Serge Gnabry for right-back Benjamin Pavard – a measure that contributed significantly to Bayern’s four goals in the closing stages and winning the game.
For the current isolation, Nagelsmann has built a “small analysis center” with a large screen, laptop and iPad in his home kitchen in order to continue his work virtually. “It looks like a data center in the kitchen so that I have a short way to tea”. So he could intervene better during the game against Hoffenheim, only during half time he would not intervene. He fully trusts his assistant coaches: “But it is important to also transfer responsibility to the responsible colleagues. In this case Dino (Toppmöller) and Xaver (Sembrod).” It is doubtful whether the competition will benefit from this. The win against Lisbon showed that Nagelsmann can exert influence via cell phone and laptop.
“Constant exchange with the health department”
But of course there are still questions. The most important for Bavaria: How long will Nagelsmann be in quarantine? The health department of the city of Munich cannot comment on the Corona case for data protection reasons and nothing was heard from the Bavarians either. Press spokesman Dieter Nickles only spoke of a “constant exchange with the health department”.
The authorities definitely provide for five days of quarantine. Then you can test yourself, but only if you have remained symptom-free. That is why Nagelsmann’s statement that he did not have any symptoms typical of corona is particularly important. But he himself obviously expects a longer isolation because he may miss the cup game against Borussia Mönchengladbach, which would take place on the seventh day of the quarantine. “Of course I would like to be at the games now, in the Bundesliga and in the cup against Gladbach.”
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
