Bayern Boss Kovac Blames Money For Bundesliga Champions League Blunders

I think we all can recognize the negative influence of money in sports, generally, and football, specifically. FIFA basically exists as a money laundering organization for oligarchs first, and a football association second. And it’s a distant second.

As such, it’s not hard to find corruption at the highest levels of the sport. Even when rules are put in place to provide a check on the whims of billionaires, such as Financial Fair Play, they rarely make a difference concerning the influence of money in the sport.

Over the last year, a lot of rival clubs have decried Klopp “trying to buy the league,” as if the likes of Chelsea, United, and City (especially City) have won the league just from grit and determination. Now, we can add Niko Kovac, boss of Bayern fucking Munich, to the list of folks who are jealous of Liverpool’s (new found and well earned) financial clout.

“Money doesn’t always win, but Jurgen Klopp spent €500million (£425m) in the last four years,” Kovac said in a press conference.

“Even we as the Bundesliga forerunners did not do that. It’s just an advantage (for Liverpool).

“We must not lie to ourselves. It’s not by accident that three German clubs are eliminated by three English clubs.For the top stars, it’s just more appealing to go to the Premier League than to Bundesliga.”

This sentiment is more than a little disingenuous from Kovac. Since Klopp’s arrival in 2015, Liverpool have a net spend of £85 million. That’s more than Bayern, with a net spend of £25M in that same period, but that number is also reduced by having a highly stable roster, and a fair few free transfers (particularly from within Germany).

Also, Liverpool’s recent spending spree has been earned (not illegally pumped into the club cough Man City cough). The success on the transfer market, as well as on the pitch, including getting to last year’s Champions League final, has dramatically changed the club’s financial fortuntes.

Anyway, unlucky Kovac, I guess...