At first glance, it seems like a pretty random preseason matchup between two Bundesliga heavyweights, but there is actually a little bit of transfer history behind this game.
The friendly is connected to Julian Nagelsmann’s move from RB Leipzig to Bayern Munich in 2021. As part of that deal, Bayern Munich still has around €3 million owed to Leipzig, and a significant portion of that amount will be generated through the proceeds from Saturday’s match.
So, yes, Bayern Munich is essentially playing a friendly to help settle an old transfer bill. And because apparently one transfer-related friendly was not enough, there is another Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig friendly still to come. That one is connected to Max Eberl’s move from Leipzig to Munich in 2024.
It gets even more interesting on the field. If Saturday’s match ends in a draw, there will be no extra time. The winner will instead be decided by a penalty shootout.
So, this is not just another preseason tune-up. It is Nagelsmann’s transfer fee coming back to haunt Bayern Munich, Eberl’s transfer creating another future obligation, and two Bundesliga rivals essentially using friendly matches to settle old business.
Football finances can be weird. Sometimes, you really do have to play the game to pay the bill.
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