Goetze should be left in peace to improve, say Bayern

Reuters , Tuesday 18 Aug 2015

Munich
Munich's Mario Goetze celebrates after scoring during the friendly soccer match between FC Bayern and AC Milan, in the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, southern Germany, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015 (AP)

German champions Bayern Munich have urged for an end to the ongoing transfer speculation regarding attacking midfielder Mario Goetze, with the Germany international still without a starting spot in his third season at the club.

The 23-year-old, who scored the winner for Germany in last year's World Cup final, has again started the season as a little used substitute while also refusing to commit to a future at Bayern despite a contract till 2017.

"Can we agree on one thing, to allow Mario to play football?" Bayern sports director Matthias Sammer told reporters after Monday's 3-1 friendly win over Dynamo Dresden.

"He enjoys our trust but we need to leave the boy in peace."

Goetze has struggled under coach Pep Guardiola and last season the Spaniard used him over the full 90 minutes in just 16 of their 34 league games, raising questions about whether he would see out his contract or leave.

He was also a little-used substitute in the German Super Cup defeat to VfL Wolfsburg earlier this month and again came on as a second half substitute in their Bundesliga opening 5-0 win over Hamburg SV on Friday.

Instead of spearheading Bayern's attacking midfield Goetze has languished on the Bayern bench, unable to find consistency and the player vented his frustration earlier this month saying it had been a difficult two-year period so far.

"We will see what happens," Goetze, who joined from Borussia Dortmund in 2013, had said on Aug. 5. "Now I will just let things come to me. For anything else we will have to see."

Sammer said the club and player were working hard on his form and it would work out for both sides.

"That lightness, the trust, the last two or three percent, we are all working on that together. It is all good. It does not get better if we constantly talk about it."

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