“This reminds me of the magic triangle”

Giovane Elber arrives at the exclusive appointment in a good mood SPORT1. Directly from Munich Airport, the 52-year-old arrived at the Timehouse Hotel in Schwabing on time to talk about a very special duel.

From 1994 to 1997 he played for VfB Stuttgart, after which the Brazilian, who lives on a farm in his homeland, stormed for FC Bayern for six years. He won the Champions League with the record champions in 2001 and was also German champion four times and cup winner four times. On Saturday his former clubs meet in the top game of the Bundesliga (from 6.30 p.m. in the LIVETICKER).

At SPORT1 FC Bayern's brand ambassador talks about the hit, the development of VfB under Sebastian Hoeneß, criticism of Vincent Kompany's tactics and reveals which Bayern star he trusts with the legendary carpet celebration.

SPORT1: Giovane, on Saturday evening the southern summit between Bavaria and VfB will rise. A special game for you?

Elber: Sure, of course. I played for both clubs and know both sides. For VfB fans it is the game of the year. It used to always be said: “You can lose all the other games, but you have to beat Bayern.” Unfortunately, we didn't manage to do that often, even though we had a strong team. VfB has been playing really good football for two or three years. That reminds me of the magic triangle with me, Fredi Bobic and Krassimir Balakov. But it's not just about three players, but about the entire team. Sebastian Hoeneß did that brilliantly.

SPORT1: Where did you have a better time?

Elber: I had the best time at FC Bayern because I was in Munich for a long time and won many titles there. We won the Champions League, but also lost once at the last moment to Manchester United. Nevertheless, the three years at VfB Stuttgart were very nice because it was more familiar there. Under President Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder we feel like a family. This family feeling is important for us Brazilians or southerners to play football well. At FC Bayern that only came later, when Ottmar Hitzfeld became coach.

SPORT1: When you rolled up in the carpet after your goal against VfL Wolfsburg (final score 5-0) in December 1998, you created one of the most legendary moments in the Bundesliga. Was it spontaneous back then?

Elber: That was completely spontaneous. For me the most important thing was always to score the goal – that was difficult enough. The cheers then came naturally.

SPORT1: Who would you trust to do something like that at Bayern today?

Elber: Gnabry always does his wooden spoon celebration, but I give him credit for the carpet, and also for coming up with something completely new and special after a goal. I love Serge Gnabry.

SPORT1: Vincent Kompany has been new to Bayern this season. How do you see the record champions under him?

Elber: When he came, I thought: “Oh!” He has never coached such a big team with such well-known players. But he managed it really well. You could already see in the training camp and in Korea that he values ​​it and enjoys his work. What's important at Bayern is that communication with the players is good – and he does that excellently. The results are correct. Of course there will be difficult times, for example in the Champions League with the away game in Barcelona. We already lost away to Aston Villa. There has to be at least one point. But the way the team has been playing so far is really fun.

SPORT1: He played under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and Guardiola spoke highly of him. Do you think he can incorporate this knowledge into his coaching work?

Elber: Yes, definitely. He learned a lot from Guardiola. But that doesn't automatically mean he'll be successful as a coach – not every good player becomes a good coach. Now he is with us and has to prove himself. At FC Bayern, every day is about something, every game has to be won. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he stays with us for a long time. In recent years, the coaches have left the club after one or two years, which is something I don't know from FC Bayern. During my time, Ottmar Hitzfeld was my coach, only for a year was Giovanni Trapattoni. There has been too much turbulence at Bayern in recent years. Now we need peace again and I hope that it lasts so that he can work in peace. You can see that he can do it.

SPORT1: Kompany has defended himself against criticism of his attacking style of play, saying changing it because of two poorer results would be stupid. How do you see that?

Elber: He is absolutely right. The team plays excellent football. We weren't bad against Aston Villa, but we conceded a goal in the end and lost. The important thing is to learn from it.

SPORT1: Don't you find his style too offensive?

Elber: No, I don't find it too offensive. Spectators want to see goals, not just prevent them. Kompany has adapted the entire game system, and it has worked well so far. But when there are setbacks, of course the experts come straight away and talk way too much.

SPORT1: Jamal Musiala will not be there on Saturday. How heavy does that weigh?

Elber: Already difficult. He is an outstanding player. I even said to him: “It's a shame you don't have a Brazilian passport, you would fit perfectly into our national team.” He reminds me of the players of the past – full of imagination. He goes into courageous one-on-three situations and it often works. It's a shame that he's missing against VfB, but he'll be in top shape again in the Champions League.

SPORT1: Sebastian Hoeneß surprised with VfB – how do you see his work?

Elber: Sebastian has already shown what he can do with us in the U23. When the place at VfB became available, he took over and the team was quickly relegated. A year later they were playing fantastic football and were already at the top of the table. With the pressure of the Champions League, championship and cup, it's not easy now, but he's coping well with it. He always emphasizes that the most important thing is that the team works. You can't win a championship alone or with just one good player. The whole team, from back to front, has to work together.

SPORT1: Do you think Hoeneß could be a coach at FC Bayern at some point?

Elber: For sure. He knows FC Bayern very well. But he still has time in Stuttgart and I hope he stays there for a long time and is successful.

SPORT1: The national team had four VfB players in the squad in the Nations League. That shows the strength of Stuttgart, right?

Elber: Absolutely. You wouldn't have thought that. But in football things work when everyone can work in peace. VfB managed that again recently. A few years ago there was constant stress – the board and the presidium were at odds. Then they realized that it only works together. Now you can see the successes.

SPORT1: On Saturday, two young coaches, Hoeneß and Kompany, will be on the sidelines. Neither has won a title yet. Do you see them as influential coaches for the next few years?

Elber: Both play systems that don't rely on pure defensive work, like Leverkusen against us, where everyone just stands at the back and the score ends 1-1. It was a good result for Bayer, but VfB is known for offensive football. I think the game will be decided on offense. Whoever implements something better wins.

SPORT1: How will the game end on Saturday evening?

Elber: I expect an exciting game. I hope it won't be as monotonous as the Bayern game against Leverkusen. Both teams will play offensively and I'm predicting a 3:3 or 3:2. I can't say for whom, but goals will definitely be scored. VfB can definitely win. Their performances against Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid show that they can be successful on Saturday evening.