Uli Hoeneß criticizes international match calendar

Uli Hoeneß stated in an interview with "Bild": "It is catastrophic that we have to stop for two weeks after only four weeks of the Bundesliga." He added: "We had 18 players on international duty, and it is completely natural for the team to lose its rhythm under these circumstances."

Bayern Munich drew 2-2 with hosts Augsburg on Saturday, missing the chance to overtake Borussia Dortmund and take sole possession of the top of the table. This season has seen the longest break in the Bundesliga due to the UEFA Nations League, even though FIFA is responsible for setting the international calendar, not UEFA.

Uli Hoeness has continued his criticism, urging clubs to act in their own interests, stating: "Clubs must finally assert themselves, as we are the ones who pay the players' salaries, not the national teams." He also described UEFA's preference for holding the UEFA Nations League as a "ridiculous competition," considering it "the joke of the year." He pointed out that Bayern Munich was also one of the biggest victims of the long World Cup period, due to the limited time available for preparation after the tournament.

Rudi Völler, the sporting director of the German Football Association, has criticized the new system for distributing international matches, describing it as 'not good' given the heavy burdens players are carrying. Völler expressed hope that FIFA or UEFA would reconsider the system and return to distributing matches over two periods, each including three matches, or revert to the previous system.