by Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic branded Serge Gnabry “amateur” for taking a day off to attend Paris Fashion Week before giving a disappointing performance on Tuesday.
The Bundesliga champions drew 1-1 with Cologne at home, and Joshua Kimmich’s 90th minute scream saved a point.
Gnabry started the game after finding himself in the media’s attention, and Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said his players will be able to use their free time as they see fit, even if it implies some degree of disappointment from the winger’s departure to Paris on Sunday.
However, the German national player withdrew at halftime after the overwhelming performance in the first half.
After the match, Salihamidzic did not hesitate to express his thoughts on the matter.
“This is amateurish,” said Salihamidzic, as quoted by Kicker. “That’s exactly what I don’t like. That’s exactly what Bayern Munich doesn’t like.
“You’ve got a day off to rest so you can hit the gas again for the next game. We’ll talk about that.”
However, Nagelsmann wanted to clarify that Gnabry’s extracurricular activities had nothing to do with his withdrawal.
“Now, I’m not someone who enjoys these tabloid stuff. I consider what I see on the pitch and what I have on the bench for outstanding players,” he told reporters.
“I also felt we needed some fresh air because of the changing fundamental structure in Cologne, it opened up a little more distance for the large players.
“So we changed it. It has nothing to do with everything else. I evaluate what I see and try to make the right decision.”
The result means Bayern’s lead at the top of the table is four points – six points on Tuesday before second-placed RB Leipzig crushed Schalke 6-1.
Bayern continued the season with a 1-1 draw with Leipzig last week, trailing them by two points from a possible six in 2023.
And captain Kimmich felt it necessary to question the attitude of his teammates after this latest defeat.
“The second half was a bit better,” he told Sat1. “First half… we definitely have to talk about that in terms of approach, willingness and attitude.
“It’s relatively easy to change – it’s not a matter of tactics, technique or fitness, it’s just willingness. I hope we can change that relatively quickly.”
Bayern will take action when they host Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
