Lothar Matthäus, an icon of German football, once stood on the verge of a spectacular transfer to Real Madrid. However, the then-president of his club, Inter Milan, thwarted his plans and prevented his dream move to the Spanish giants.
On the occasion of his 65th birthday, the record-holding German international looked back on his remarkable career. When asked if he would have done anything differently, the former world-class player recalled the offer from Madrid.
Initially, Matthäus denied having any regrets, emphasizing that he «lacked absolutely nothing.» He added, «Not even winning the Champions League, although I was very close twice with Bayern. Both times we led 1-0 at halftime in the final but lost 1-2.» These defeats occurred in 1987 against FC Porto and in 1999 against Manchester United.
However, a detail then came to mind: «Yes, there is something. I would have loved to join Real Madrid in 1991! That would have been it! Everything was already agreed between me and Real. But Inter Milan’s president, Ernesto Pellegrini, wouldn’t let me go.»
Matthäus Returned to FC Bayern After Inter Blocked His Transfer
At that time, Matthäus was at the peak of his career. After winning the 1990 World Cup with Germany and the UEFA Cup with Inter, he was named the first-ever FIFA World Player of the Year. Despite Pellegrini’s veto, he extended his contract in Milan two years later. But the desire for a transfer persisted.
Almost a year after the failed Real move, he had reached an agreement with Juventus Turin. However, these plans were ruined by an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April 1992, which also caused him to miss the European Championship. Although Matthäus worked intensely on his comeback, Juventus ultimately withdrew their offer. Instead, FC Bayern Munich stepped in and brought him back for 4.2 million D-Mark. This transfer was preceded by a written declaration, demanded by Pellegrini from Matthäus, stating that he would not play for any other Italian club.
Five months after his serious injury, in September 1992, Matthäus made his comeback for Bayern. In his second stint in Munich, he won four championships, two DFB-Pokal titles, and another UEFA Cup. Previously, in his first period from 1984 to 1988, he had already won two league titles and one DFB-Pokal. Matthäus concluded his active career after the turn of the millennium with the MetroStars in the MLS, retiring in January 2001.
Matthäus Sees FC Bayern as Slight Favorites Against Real Madrid
According to Matthäus, the current TV pundit holds no particular emotional connection to Real Madrid. He only finds it difficult when Bayern faces Inter. In the upcoming Champions League semi-final clash, Matthäus sees the German record champions as slight favorites.
«I saw Real twice against City. They play stronger now than they did in the league phase. More disciplined, less selfish, and they defend well,» Matthäus explained. Nevertheless, he emphasized: «I still believe that Bayern, in their form of recent weeks, are more cohesive and further along than Real Madrid. I would say Bayern are 60:40 favorites.»
Lothar Matthäus: Performance Data and Statistics at FC Bayern Munich
| Matches | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| 410 | 100 | 51 |