LEIPZIG, Germany: Leipzig parted ways with their top sports executive Max Eberl on Friday citing a “failure to commit to the club” amid speculation linking him with Bayern Munich. The decision came a day before Leipzig plays Bayern in the Bundesliga.
Leipzig said Eberl had been “relieved ... of his duties with immediate effect.” The club denied the decision was linked to the team’s performance or signings.
“His failure to commit to the club has led to us making this decision. It has nothing to do with the squad’s rebuild or results on the pitch,” the club said.
Reports in Germany in recent days have indicated that Eberl could be of interest to Bayern, which have shaken up their own management structure after difficulties on the field last season and off-field issues including the firing of coach Julian Nagelsmann in March and replacing him with Thomas Tuchel.
Eberl, who was a Bayern player in the early 1990s, had pointed to his Leipzig contract when asked about the speculation and said he wanted to focus on the upcoming game against Bayern, in comments published by the Sport Bild newspaper on Wednesday.
Leipzig are a point behind league leader Bayern before the two teams meet Saturday.
As managing director for sport, Eberl joined Leipzig last year and was credited with overseeing a rebuild which has seen established players like Joško Gvardiol and Dominik Szoboszlai depart for large price tags and the arrival of young talents like Loïs Openda and Paris Saint-Germain loanee Xavi Simons.
Leipzig said sporting director Rouven Schröder would move into Eberl’s role.
Leipzig part ways with a key executive linked with Bayern Munich a day before playing Bayern
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Leipzig part ways with a key executive linked with Bayern Munich a day before playing Bayern
- The decision came a day before Leipzig play Bayern in the Bundesliga
- Leipzig said Eberl had been “relieved ... of his duties with immediate effect”
Augsburg hand Bayern Munich first Bundesliga defeat since March
- Hiroki Ito’s opener gave the defending champions an early lead
- Augsburg fought back with two goals in six second-half minutes from Arthur Chaves and Han-Noah Massengo
BERLIN: Augsburg stunned Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich 2-1 on Saturday to hand their Bavarian rivals a first league defeat since March.
Hiroki Ito’s opener gave the defending champions an early lead but Augsburg fought back with two goals in six second-half minutes from Arthur Chaves and Han-Noah Massengo.
Second-placed Borussia Dortmund could cut the gap to Bayern to eight points with a victory at Union Berlin later on Saturday.
Bayern have been unstoppable this season. They had recorded the best opening half of a season in Bundesliga history and dropped just four of a possible 54 points in 18 games.
Favourites Bayern looked set for a routine victory when Ito headed in a Michael Olize corner after 23 minutes.
Unfancied Augsburg last won a match in early December but fought back when Chaves made the most of a mistake from Bayern’s back-up goalie Jonas Urbig to level with 76 minutes gone.
Massengo then finished off a superb team move to put Augsburg in front and on track for their first win in Munich since 2015.
Olize hit the post deep in stoppage time but Augsburg held on for a memorable victory.
Elsewhere, surprising Hoffenheim tightened their grip on a top-four spot with a come-from-behind 3-1 win at struggling Eintracht Frankfurt.
Frankfurt, who sacked coach Dino Toppmoeller last Sunday, took the lead through Arnaud Kalimuendo with 18 minutes gone.
Hoffenheim turned the game round with three goals in 13 second-half minutes.
Max Moerstedt and Ozan Kabak scored, while Hoffenheim, relegation battlers last season, forced Aurele Amenda into an own goal to solidify their hold on third spot, three points behind second-placed Dortmund.
RB Leipzig cruised past Heidenheim 3-0 to move up to fourth, thanks to goals from Ridle Baku, Antonio Nusa and captain David Raum.
Former Real Madrid defender Lucas Vazquez scored the only goal as Bayer Leverkusen beat Werder Bremen 1-0 at home, breaking a three game losing streak.
The victory took the 2024 Bundesliga champions up to sixth.
Mainz beat Wolfsburg 3-1 to continue their recent resurgence. Rock-bottom at Christmas, Mainz have claimed nine points from their past six matches to climb into the relegation playoff spot.
