After eight and a half years with Borussia Mönchengladbach, Yann Sommer decided to sign for Die Fohlen’s old arch-enemy Bayern Munich in January 2023. It was a move that garnered a considerable amount of criticism from Gladbach fans, but for Sommer, the criticism would not stop once in Bavaria.
When speaking to Swiss media during the international break, the 34-year-old explained that his time at Bayern was significantly tumultuous: “I learned how things work at Bayern. You pick one or two players and then the media shoots. And then you choose two new ones. And then it was my turn. But I didn’t feel like defending myself publicly.”
Having to step in for the injured club captain Manuel Neuer was bound to be a gruelling task for any goalkeeper, but Sommer revealed that there were other issues plaguing the club: “We had an extremely wild situation at Bayern. Layoffs, changes, a lot of unrest and various topics besides sport.”
Nevertheless, the former Gladbach goalkeeper certainly held his own in between the sticks at the Allianz Arena, saving Die Rekordmeister from embarrassment on several occasions. Without the quality and experience of Sommer stepping in halfway through the season, it is hard to imagine that Bayern would have gone on to claim their eleventh-straight Bundesliga title with Borussia Dortmund breathing down their necks.
Regardless, Sommer noted that the criticism he received during his time at the club did affect him: “Of course it was unpleasant at times and it doesn’t leave you unscathed. The most important thing was that I tried to perform and help the team be successful. Luckily, that worked out in the end.”
However, after leaving Bayern in the summer, the 34-year-old has given himself the chance of a fresh start in Italy as he looks to help guide Inter Milan to the Serie A title.
GGFN | Will Shopland
