Bayern Munich have announced that former defender Jerome Boateng will not be returning to the club to take up a coaching internship, after sustained protests by their supporters.
Head coach Vincent Kompany had offered Boateng the chance to join the German champions for “an internship for a few weeks” during a press conference in September, per Merkur. But after a backlash from supporters, the club announced on Saturday evening that the arrangement will no longer go ahead.
The opposition was provoked by a 2024 ruling by a Munich court, which found Boateng guilty of premeditated bodily harm against his ex-girlfriend in 2018, sentencing him to a warning and a suspended €200,000 fine, per Reuters. He was also required to make a €100,000 donation to charitable causes, but he was not given a criminal record as a result of the judgement.
The ruling was a consequence of his appeal after a Munich court found the former footballer guilty of domestic violence in 2021. Boateng denied the allegations of abuse.
The news that Boateng was due to return to the club provoked demonstrations by Bayern’s supporters, most recently in the game against Borussia Dortmund last weekend, during which they displayed banners strongly opposing the decision.
Boateng, who played for Bayern between 2011 and 2021, announced his retirement from professional football at the end of September. The same week, during a press conference held before a game against Werder Bremen, Kompany opened the door for his return.
Jan-Christian Dreesen, the club’s CEO, had referred to Boateng’s situation as “a complicated case”.
“I believe that every person is entitled to rehabilitation,” Dreesen said via iMiasanmia. “The verdict should be considered in its entirety.
“Again: we have no employment relationship with Jerome. Jerome has been a long-time player with us and won many titles with us. And if there is an agreement for him to watch some training sessions, as is the case as a coach, then that’s absolutely fine.”
Protests quickly followed, with anti-domestic violence banners also being held up at the Allianz Arena during Bayern’s Champions League game against Club Brugge this week.
On Saturday, following their game against Borussia Monchengladbach, after which Kompany was again asked about Boateng’s coaching internship, Bayern released a statement, announcing that he would not be returning on a temporary basis.
The statement read: “In a constructive exchange between FC Bayern and Jerome Boateng had this week, it was decided that Jerome Boateng will not intern at FC Bayern. Jerome feels very connected to FC Bayern and does not want FC Bayern to suffer damage due to the current controversial discussion surrounding his person.”
Boateng released his own statement on his Instagram account, addressing the club, the fans, and Kompany.
It read: “Dear FC Bayern, dear Vincent: after the recent discussions about my person, I have come to the decision to focus on my subjects – the A license, RYZR, and Arena2. That’s currently my focus, and your full focus should solely be on the pitch – and the goal of continuing this impressive streak of 13 consecutive wins.
“I’m very grateful to the club’s management and to you, dear Vincent, for the trust and the opportunity to be a part of it. I wholeheartedly wish… that you achieve your big goals by the end of the season. I also want to sincerely thank the many fans for the numerous messages and their support.”
In addition to playing over 200 games for Bayern, Boateng also represented Hertha Berlin, Hamburg and Manchester City, and made 76 appearances for Germany, with whom he won the 2014 World Cup.