A Surprising Reunion: Former Bayern Star Goretzka Is Back in Munich | OneFootball

Leon Goretzka left FC Bayern this summer after eight years with the club. However, Munich hasn’t completely let him go. While the 31-year-old is still waiting to make his competitive debut for his new club, Aston Villa, due to injury, he used his free time to take a trip to his longtime adopted home.

On Sunday, Goretzka was spotted at the Munich Oktoberfest. The midfielder was out and about at the Theresienwiese on the very same day that his former Bayern teammates were making their traditional team visit.

For Goretzka, the trip to the Wiesn must have felt like a return to familiar territory. From 2018 to 2026, the Bochum native played for Germany’s record-holding champion and was thus a regular fixture at the Munich team’s annual Oktoberfest outing for years.

Goretzka is waiting to make his Aston Villa debut

On the field, the start of his English adventure has so far been anything but according to plan. After leaving Munich, Goretzka joined Aston Villa at the end of August. However, he is still waiting for his first minutes of competitive play for the Premier League club.

The reason for this is knee problems that have been holding him back since his transfer. The former Bayern pro was also unable to play in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

At least Aston Villa managed to secure its first Premier League win of the new season without the German international. After a difficult start, the Birmingham-based club has now climbed to 16th place.

Goretzka is not expected to make his debut until after the upcoming international break. His injury also prevented a possible return to the German national team. The 31-year-old was not an option for the first XXL squad selected by the new national team coach, Jürgen Klopp.

Munich remains Goretzka’s second home

Photo: Getty Images

It’s not entirely surprising that Goretzka is using his free time to return to Munich. He lived and played in the Bavarian capital for eight years. With FC Bayern, he won numerous titles and experienced the greatest success of his club career with the 2020 treble.

At the same time, the midfielder now seems to be settling into his new surroundings. Just a few days ago, Goretzka posted photos from Birmingham on Instagram.

“Getting to know the streets of Birmingham,” he wrote alongside the photos.

So while he’s still exploring the English metropolis, Goretzka clearly no longer needs time to settle in Munich. His visit to Oktoberfest shows that even after leaving Bayern, his connection to his long-time adopted home remains strong.