Matthäus reveals:

“Wouldn’t have needed Palhinha for 50 million euros”

Lothar Matthäus(Bild: APA/dpa/Federico Gambarini)

His transfer to FC Bayern was preceded by a long back and forth, despite lengthy negotiations, it only took the third attempt to get him - and now Portugal star João Palhinha isn't even playing regularly! Lothar Matthäus, a Sky pundit, has now added to the growing irritation by stating that "we wouldn't have needed Palhinha for 50 million euros" - because we would have had a man for his position in the squad anyway ...

The fact is that the Portuguese, once demanded by then coach Thomas Tuchel as an indispensable "Holding 6", has only made one appearance in the Bayern Munich starting line-up in the league this year. In both the Champions League and the DFB Cup, he had to start on the bench ...

João Palhinha(Bild: AFP/APA/LUKAS BARTH-TUTTAS)

"Leon Goretzka would probably play for me ..."
While Palhinha himself remains calm and says that he is "not interested in the talk of whether I might lose patience", observers such as Bayern legend Matthäus already see dark clouds on the horizon of the Portuguese's time in Munich. Even if he doesn't want to criticize the decisions made by new coach Vincent Kompany, he is adamant: "Leon Goretzka would probably play for me ..."

Leon Goretzka(Bild: AFP/APA/Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV)

"Leon is a player who comes off too badly!"
He can "remember a game from last year, Bayern Munich in Dortmund, where he played the double six alongside (Konrad) Laimer. He played world class there," Matthäus said on Sky90. "Leon is a player who, in my opinion, gets a raw deal, both in the national team and at FC Bayern."