The treble winners have withdrawn their contract offer and the only questions now are when and where the Austrian will go
The gulf between the two parties has been clear for a while but when the news dropped on Sunday, it still felt jarring. Bayern Munich’s president, Herbert Hainer, has steered the ship through largely tranquil times since taking the helm just under a year ago, with a second treble in seven years to crown it all at the end of the season under the guidance of Hansi Flick.
Now, one could say that Hainer has genuinely started the job as Bayern president, having had to make a tough public stance. Speaking to Bayerischer Rundfunk, he confirmed suspicions that negotiations to extend the expiring contract of David Alaba had ceased, and that the club had now withdrawn their offer. Although sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, had spoken last month about not wanting to give Alaba “an ultimatum” after such a long working relationship, the Bayern board were keen to have clarity by the end of October – and they have taken the defender’s lack of a positive response as a conclusion.
Related: Barcelona thwarted by howler while Real Madrid and Bayern return to top
Hertha Berlin 1-1 Wolfsburg, Freiburg 2-4 Leverkusen, Mönchengladbach 1-0 RB Leipzig, Arminia Bielefeld 0-2 Dortmund, Augsburg 3-1 Mainz, Cologne 1-2 Bayern, Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Werder Bremen, Schalke 1-1 Stuttgart
Monday Hoffenheim v Union Berlin
He hit a stunner! ☄️
Leverkusen's Amiri sold his opponent with the turn then unleashed a beauty into the corner pic.twitter.com/ygbwtn8Vk0