Not enough chances? Palhinha’s Bayern comments raise eyebrows | OneFootball

Joao Palhinha complains about too few opportunities at FC Bayern. The Portuguese player's statements cause astonishment.

Joao Palhinha has spoken openly about his difficult time at FC Bayern and explained why he decided to make a fresh start at Tottenham Hotspur. At a press conference with the Portuguese national team, the 30-year-old looked back and found clear words.

“Last season was a difficult one for me. I was injured and was out longer than expected. After that, I didn't get the chances that I felt I deserved, which also affected my playing time with the national team. But these are phases. Our careers are made up of phases,” said Palhinha.

The midfielder moved from FC Fulham to Munich in the summer of 2024 for around 50 million euros, but was never able to establish himself as a regular starter there.

Fans view Palhinha's statements critically

Palhinha's comments, however, are surprising: under coach Vincent Kompany, he still made 25 competitive appearances last season. He also missed a longer period due to injury. However, the midfielder was never able to impress in his appearances. Above all, he showed technical deficiencies that a player at Bayern's level simply cannot afford. Nevertheless, he was repeatedly given the opportunity—even in short appearances—to prove himself. But Palhinha repeatedly failed to demonstrate his class.

There is a lot of criticism of Palhinha's recent statements among fans on X. One user wrote as an example: “You had your chances, Joao. The reality is that you are best suited for the Premier League and Bayern was a step too big for you.”

Another commented: “I wish Joao all the best. He didn't fit into FC Bayern's system, but he also just wasn't good enough.”

Palhinha flourishes at Tottenham

Things are going quite differently for Palhinha in London now. “Now I am experiencing a happy phase in my life. A new club, a new project, in a league that is not new to me and that I enjoy again. At Tottenham, I have been given opportunities that I didn't have before. I have complete trust in the people who wanted to bring me to the club. In this case, in the coach. When we feel this trust and have the sense that we are needed somewhere, then in my opinion, we should be there. This decision was very easy for me. These opportunities give me the chance to show again what I can do. I am really looking forward to this new challenge and just want to fully enjoy the Premier League,” he continued.

Photo: IMAGO

At FC Bayern, they have long since come to terms with the fact that the defensive specialist has no future on Säbener Straße. The club is counting on Tottenham exercising the purchase option anchored in the loan contract and signing the Portuguese player permanently for around 30 million euros. Although the record champions would thus make a significant loss, they are willing to accept it in order to slim down the squad and create salary space for future transfers.

Palhinha has now established himself as a key player at Tottenham. In the Premier League and the League Cup, he has already collected several scorer points, most recently scoring a late equalizer against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Under coach Thomas Frank, he enjoys full trust—exactly what, according to his own statements, he lacked in Munich.

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