Bayern Munich news and rumours – ‘Thank God he’s with us’: why Bayern boss Max Eberl remembers a day in February particularly fondly

Bayern Munich board member for sport Max Eberl is particularly pleased about a contract extension he oversaw. Bayern Munich news and rumours.

Bayern Munich news: Max Eberl is particularly impressed by one Bayern star

Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl will remember 13 February this year fondly. On that Friday lunchtime, Germany's record champions officially announced that centre-back Dayot Upamecano had signed a four-year extension to his expiring contract, keeping him at the club until 2030 after months of negotiations.

"Thank God we extended his contract," Eberl said in Madrid on Tuesday evening, after the in-form Upamecano delivered another outstanding performance in the 2-0 Champions League win away to Atletico. "Thank God he's at our club. He's been playing at world-class level for weeks, did so last season too, also at the World Cup, and now again," Eberl continued.

Negotiations between Bayern and Upamecano had grown so fraught that Bayern withdrew their offer for a time. The Frenchman looked set to leave on a free transfer in summer 2026 before he eventually signed a new contract at Säbener Straße.

Under coach Vincent Kompany, Upamecano has become indispensable at the heart of Bayern's defence. The 28-year-old has consistently been in top form this season, combining strong defensive displays with a goal threat. He has scored three times in 12 appearances so far in 2026/27.

The defender is playing "unbelievably well", Eberl enthused. "He's even scoring goals. There's really nothing to say about him except that he's world-class."

Bayern Munich news: Tom Bischof shines with remarkable statistic

Midfielder Tom Bischof posted a remarkable statistic in Bayern Munich's 2-0 Champions League win away to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

According to statistics website WhoScored , Bischof made six successful tackles in Madrid, more than any other player has managed in a Champions League match this season.

With Aleksandar Pavlovic carrying a knock and only on the bench, Bischof was a somewhat surprising inclusion in Bayern's starting line-up alongside Joshua Kimmich in a midfield two. The 21-year-old, making his third consecutive Champions League start, played well and was particularly effective defensively.

Bayern Munich news: "A motivation monster": former Bayern prospect praises Joshua Kimmich

Eintracht Braunschweig goalkeeper Ron-Thorben Hoffmann, who came through Bayern Munich's youth ranks and began his professional career at the club, has praised the qualities of Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich.

"He's such a motivation monster," Hoffmann said of Kimmich on the Sport1 podcast 'Leadertalk', explaining: "He was never the biggest player, he was never the quickest, he wasn't the best technically, but he's simply a really hard worker who understood how to bring other lads along with him."

Kimmich also challenges his team-mates' pride, "which can sometimes be very uncomfortable, as I've experienced myself." Their mentality keeps players like Kimmich, "who have been at the top for ten, 20 years, up there, because it's what drives them and what makes them better."

At 16, Hoffmann moved from RB Leipzig to Bayern's youth ranks before joining the senior squad in 2018 at 19. Although he was named in the squad several times, he never made a competitive appearance for the record champions' first team. After 55 matches for Bayern II in the 3. Liga and Regionalliga, he joined AFC Sunderland, then in England's third tier, on loan in 2021. He impressed enough there to earn a permanent move to Eintracht Braunschweig.

After two years with the Lower Saxony club, Hoffmann joined FC Schalke in 2024 but could not establish himself there. He returned to Braunschweig just six months later. The 27-year-old is now captain of the second-division side, who currently sit 15th in the table.

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