Jerome Boateng (33) left FC Bayern just over a year ago and has since been playing for Olympique Lyon. talks about his sporting successes and plans – and denounces racism as a “disease that has to go”.
A pubic bone infection slowed Boateng down in the last second half of the season, and now he spent a week preparing for the new season with Lyon in a training camp in the Netherlands. His contract there ends in 2023. What will happen after that at the latest? “The subject is not closed. I can imagine many things in Europe. Germany is one of them, because it’s a great league with great teams and great fans. The Bundesliga is not a no-go,” he answers the question about a possible return to the Bundesliga.
Boateng naturally follows his ex-club FC Bayern (“The best years in my footballing life”) most intensively. “Lewandowski’s goals, his greed on the pitch will be missing,” he predicts about the goalscorer’s move to FC Barcelona, adding that compensating for this will be a challenge.
He sees the signing of centre-back Matthijs de Ligt positively: “A very good guy, down-to-earth. His qualities speak for themselves. A leader type who will hopefully improve even more at FCB and thus continue on his path of developing into a world-class defender.” On the other hand, the 2014 World Cup winner finds Niklas Süle’s decision to move from Munich to Dortmund unusual. “I think it’s a shame that it had to come to this, because Niki has huge potential.”
And what does he say about his former centre-back partner David Alaba? “The fact that David left the club was certainly painful for Bayern. But it was definitely worth it for him, you can say that without any ifs and buts after this season. “