Rivalry with Bayern chief Hoeneß? BVB boss Watzke takes stock | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund’s CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke looked back on the heated rivalry with Uli Hoeneß before his departure. These days, the two are connected more by respect than rivalry.

Before the Bundesliga classic between Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern Munich, which the Munich side won 2-1, BVB CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke spoke unusually openly about his relationship with Uli Hoeneß. It was his last classic as CEO – in November, the 66-year-old will step down from his position at the general meeting and withdraw from day-to-day operations.

In an interview with Sky, Watzke looked back on earlier duels with the Bayern boss – and on a time when the rivalry between the two clubs was also much fiercer at the executive level. “My relationship with Uli has gotten better every year. Kalle, Uli, and I: we were different types. We really went at each other hard. The way we fought each other, not everyone today would approve of that,” said Watzke.

The Dortmund manager sees this not only as a personal change, but also as a societal shift. “Uli and I were different types. We really went at each other hard sometimes. The new generation is a bit more reasonable,” he explained.

BVB Boss Watzke on the Changed Relationship with Bayern Boss Hoeneß

Watzke now describes himself as more relaxed. “Maybe I’ve mellowed a bit with age, and society has changed too,” he said. “We were just passionate – and then there was no mercy. We’re still the generation that said what we thought. Whether that was good for us or bad – we just said it.”

When asked whether, in a possible new role as club president, he plans to make similar appearances as Uli Hoeneß, Hans-Joachim Watzke diplomatically denied it: “My plan is: I want to protect the club and I want to support it.”

At the end of his tenure, the long-time BVB boss strikes a conciliatory tone – even towards the eternal rival from Munich.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.