Following FC Bayern’s draw against Leverkusen, honorary president Uli Hoeneß made headlines with his fierce criticism of the referee. Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen has since defended Hoeneß’s emotional outbursts and also criticized a specific TV expert.
Speaking on the OMR podcast, Dreesen commented on the club patron’s emotional nature: «Uli has to decide that for himself. I believe he sometimes gets carried away when he hears some nonsense being said, and it truly annoys him.»
After the 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen, Hoeneß sharply criticized the performance of referee Christian Dingert, who had disallowed two Bayern goals and allegedly issued red cards against Nicolas Jackson and Luis Diaz. He specifically called it «the worst performance by a referee team I have ever witnessed in a Bundesliga match.»
Hoeneß Rants Against Referee: «It’s Also Likable»
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For Dreesen, this isn’t an issue. «On the other hand, it’s quite likable. That’s why you always know where you stand with Uli. He doesn’t make a secret of it, and that’s perfectly fine. However, I believe his outbursts have significantly reduced over time,» the 58-year-old explained.
Hoeneß’s short fuse is legendary. His «Attack Department» («Abteilung Attacke») has previously targeted rivals like long-time Werder Bremen manager Willi Lemke, coach Christoph Daum, the press, and players such as Juan Bernat or World Champion Toni Kroos. In recent years, the 74-year-old has also frequently expressed annoyance at the comments made by TV pundits Lothar Matthäus and Didi Hamann when their criticism didn’t align with his views.
Hoeneß’s Criticism? «It’d Be Bad If No One Complained About Bayern Anymore»
According to Dreesen, the frustration with Matthäus and Hamann stems mainly from the fact that both are respected former FC Bayern professionals. «That’s why it’s more annoying when you constantly hear nothing but griping, complaining, and scolding from someone like Didi Hamann. Eventually, you just don’t want to hear it anymore,» Dreesen noted.
However, the club boss also conceded that media criticism has its benefits for FCB. «It would be terrible if no one complained about FC Bayern anymore, because then we would be unimportant and irrelevant,» Dreesen stated. «It’s great when everyone is preoccupied with FC Bayern because it demonstrates our relevance. And they can complain all they want – as long as we keep winning, everyone is free to rant as they please.»
FC Bayern Munich: Bundesliga Statistics
- Matches: 26
- Points: 67
- Wins: 21
- Losses: 1
- Draws: 4
- Goals For: 93
- Goals Against: 25