Following yesterday’s 0-0 draw against Liverpool, Bayern Munich attacking midfielder James Rodriguez hinted his future may not lie in Bavaria.
Bayern Munich ground out a tough 0-0 draw against Liverpool yesterday, earning a well-deserved clean sheet against the Reds at Anfield. The Bavarians’ defense was solid against Liverpool’s talented attack, but their own offensive unit left a little to be desired.
James Rodriguez, who started the match in his favored number 10 role, was one of Bayern’s more disappointing players on the night. The Colombian was by no means poor, but he was certainly far from his best against the Premier League leaders.
When speaking after the game with Cadena SER, James was asked about his future and the possibility of a return to Real Madrid. The 27-year-old’s response was far from convincing that he sees himself in Bayern red again next season.
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"“I still have a contract with Bayern and in June we’ll see. I think there (in Madrid) I have everything: a house, people who love me. I do not know; we’ll see what happens.“For now I have a contract with Bayern, and nobody knows anything about the future. I just want to finish well this season and then we’ll see.”"
Though the Colombian did not explicitly state that he would prefer a return to Real Madrid over a permanent move to Bayern Munich, his response was far from reassuring that his heart is totally in Bavaria. In fact, when he was asked if he missed living in the city of Madrid, his response was straightforward: “The truth is, yes.”
James has made himself a divisive figure since joining Bayern Munich over a year-and-a-half ago. The Colombia international has, at times, shown himself to be among the most talented players in the Bayern squad. He was particularly excellent under Jupp Heynckes for the majority of last season.
However, he has struggled to reproduce that same form this season, having also struggled severely with fitness. Yesterday’s match against Liverpool was yet another example of James’ tendency to play below his potential.
When on his game, James is still a key player for Bayern Munich. However, he is far less important for the squad than he was at this stage last season, and it no longer seems that it would be a total tragedy if the Bavarians decide not to execute the option to buyout his loan and make his move permanent — especially if the player is publicly expressing his desire to return to Real Madrid.