World Champion Philipp Lahm returned to FC Bayern team training today. The 31-year-old is raring to go and has already looked ahead to the business end of the season.
Madrid? Manchester? Or maybe Wolfsburg? When Philipp Lahm talks about the most difficult side to face, it’s clear that he is full of respect for them, but it isn’t immediate clear who it is. In an interview with football magazine kicker, the World Cup winning captain touched on some of the assets of what could well be Bayern’s biggest competitors. “They apply so much pressure that the opponents really struggle to deal with it,” he says. “The club is improving year on year,” is another virtue he lists, before adding that they could be “in every competition until the end”. Lahm talks of a side with “lots of world-class players,” a “top club” that is “one of the best in Europe”.
Lahm isn’t describing Wolfsburg, Manchester or even Madrid though. He is talking about FC Bayern, implying that his team has so much quality that they essentially can only be beaten by themselves. “Only we can stop ourselves from lifting the Meisterschale,” explained the FCB captain. “You aren’t allowed to throw the title away with the quality and the points advantage that we have.”
“I’ve been rooting for them like a fan”
The 31-year-old is currently capable of judging the ability of his team better than ever before in his career. After all, he’s had an unfamiliar perspective for the last few months, which has turned him into quite the pundit. Lahm has spent the last ten years or so virtually injury-free, with a cruciate ligament tear in 2005 the last problem that kept him sidelined for several months. That all changed on 18th November 2014 though, when he suffered a broken ankle in training. He’s been working hard on his comeback since then.
Lahm has changed his point of view and been able to see Bayern from an outsider’s perspective. “I’ve been rooting for them like a fan, but I’ve also been able to see how Pep Guardiola thinks,” he said. He likes what he’s seen too. The FCB players have been able to implement the manager’s ideas, even without their captain. “It’s nice to see the team playing like this,” said Lahm. “It’s very enjoyable; we’re playing some great and exciting football.”
Lahm would have to admit that he’s not enjoying it as much as usual though. He’s a footballer at the end of the day, and they get itchy feet when they’re not out there on the pitch. Lahm is staying patient though; he doesn’t want to put a timeframe on a comeback just yet. “It depends how my foot and my muscles react to the strain of team training,” he said vaguely. Still, “everything’s going according to plan,” according to Lahm.
"I didn’t have to wait long to return to form"
World Champion Philipp Lahm returned to FC Bayern team training today. The 31-year-old is raring to go and has already looked ahead to the business end of the season.
Madrid? Manchester? Or maybe Wolfsburg? When Philipp Lahm talks about the most difficult side to face, it’s clear that he is full of respect for them, but it isn’t immediate clear who it is. In an interview with football magazine kicker, the World Cup winning captain touched on some of the assets of what could well be Bayern’s biggest competitors. “They apply so much pressure that the opponents really struggle to deal with it,” he says. “The club is improving year on year,” is another virtue he lists, before adding that they could be “in every competition until the end”. Lahm talks of a side with “lots of world-class players,” a “top club” that is “one of the best in Europe”.
Lahm isn’t describing Wolfsburg, Manchester or even Madrid though. He is talking about FC Bayern, implying that his team has so much quality that they essentially can only be beaten by themselves. “Only we can stop ourselves from lifting the Meisterschale,” explained the FCB captain. “You aren’t allowed to throw the title away with the quality and the points advantage that we have.”
“I’ve been rooting for them like a fan”
The 31-year-old is currently capable of judging the ability of his team better than ever before in his career. After all, he’s had an unfamiliar perspective for the last few months, which has turned him into quite the pundit. Lahm has spent the last ten years or so virtually injury-free, with a cruciate ligament tear in 2005 the last problem that kept him sidelined for several months. That all changed on 18th November 2014 though, when he suffered a broken ankle in training. He’s been working hard on his comeback since then.
Lahm has changed his point of view and been able to see Bayern from an outsider’s perspective. “I’ve been rooting for them like a fan, but I’ve also been able to see how Pep Guardiola thinks,” he said. He likes what he’s seen too. The FCB players have been able to implement the manager’s ideas, even without their captain. “It’s nice to see the team playing like this,” said Lahm. “It’s very enjoyable; we’re playing some great and exciting football.”
Lahm would have to admit that he’s not enjoying it as much as usual though. He’s a footballer at the end of the day, and they get itchy feet when they’re not out there on the pitch. Lahm is staying patient though; he doesn’t want to put a timeframe on a comeback just yet. “It depends how my foot and my muscles react to the strain of team training,” he said vaguely. Still, “everything’s going according to plan,” according to Lahm.
"I didn’t have to wait long to return to form"
It’s worth noting that Lahm takes part in a number of non-footballing exercises in order to ensure that he gets back to form quickly. Lahm returned to his peak quickly, even though he had to start from nothing. “I didn’t have to wait long to return to form,” said Lahm. However, there is a sidenote: “A couple of full games are needed before you can say that you’re back to 100% fitness.”
The Bayern captain is hoping to make his comeback in the Champions League quarter finals at the latest. Lahm is certain that his side will progress in the competition. The goalless first leg makes the second game dangerous; however, that isn’t an issue for Lahm. “FC Bayern need to progress. We want to be a great club and continue to be one of the best teams in Europe. We’re the better side and should progress after two games.”
Ending on a high
His return, as well as those of Thiago and Javi Martinez, will further strengthen an impressive team. Getting a place in the starting line-up will become even trickier. However, Pep Guardiola is an excellent manager and knows how to balance his squad, so Lahm isn’t worried. After all, every player should be aware that they’re playing for FC Bayern. “Not being involved all of the time isn’t fun, but we have to accept that. It’s part and parcel of the game.”
Lahm is also under no illusions that he may be used in other positions – not just in his favoured right back role. After all, there are no automatic picks under Guardiola. “I wouldn’t say that I’m no longer a right back,” said Lahm. “When I defend I don’t stick to the right side, I help out where necessary. At Bayern the full-back role is open to interpretation – we have a certain degree of freedom, which makes things very interesting.”
His Bayern contract runs out in 2018 and Lahm has already said that he will end his career once this deal expires. However, he is applying the same logic to his domestic career that he did to his international one. He will leave at his peak instead of winding down his career slowly. “I want to end on a high so I only have positive to look back on.” He is hoping that he can look back on his career with the Bavarian side as fondly as he does with Germany: “My time with the national team was sensational.”
