Special: Au Revoir, Willy Sagnol

There are few players who really achieve cult status at Bayern Munich, but Frenchman Willy Sagnol definitely comes into that category. At 31 years of age though, he has been forced to retire after failing to recover from an Achilles tendon injury.   

Made In France  

The Saint Etienne born right-back has won five Bundesliga titles, four German Cups as well as the Champions League in 2001 with the Bavarians. While in France he was a Ligue 1 winner with Monaco. He also won 58 caps for his country over an eight-year period appearing at two World Cups and two European Championships.   

Born in Saint Etienne, Sagnol joined his home-town club and impressed enough during his two seasons there to earn a move to the principality of Monaco. Sagnol developed into a highly polished right back while at the Stade Louis II. Les Rouge et Blanc provided his first piece of silverware in 2000 with a surprise league triumph.   

Bayern Hero  

That sparkling season saw him snapped up by Bayern Munich in the summer of 2000. He quickly made the right back berth his own and became a firm favourite with the Munich fans. The Bundesliga was won in his first season and that was topped in May when Bayern Munich clinched the Champions League with a penalty shoot-out win over Valencia, although he was substituted at half time for Carsten Jancker.    

Further Bundesliga titles followed in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2008 while the German Cup was won on four occasions (2003, 2005, 2006 and 2008).  

Sagnol made his international debut for Les Bleus on November 15, 2000 having previously played at the U-20 World Cup in Malaysia and impressed. His chances however were limited by the fact that Lilian Thuram had made the right back spot his own in the French side and Sagnol had to wait in the wings.  

However with the retirement of Marcel Desailly, Thuram was switched to the centre of defence allowing Sagnol to become the first-choice right back. He was key member of the 2006 World Cup side that finished as runners-up to Italy.  

The Beginning Of The End  

The following year was a total write-off for Sagnol having to sit out almost the entire year as a result of a serious meniscus knee injury suffered against Milan in the quarter-final of the Champions League in April.   

He did make his return in November 2007 in the closing stages of Bayern’s UEFA Cup tie with Braga, but getting his regular place back was not as easy as he would have hoped. Sagnol was vocally critical of then Bayern trainer Ottmar Hitzfeld for his lack of playing time - a move which saw him suspended from the UEFA Cup semi-final with Zenit St Petersburg.

Sagnol was also upset that the captain’s armband was handed to Mark van Bommel, and that Bayern were reportedly offering him to Milan as part of an exchange for Massimo Oddo.   

The 31-year-old featured for France at Euro 2008 but suffered an Achilles tendon injury during th4-2 loss to the Netherlands, and the injury has simply refused to heal causing him to announce his retirement.

Sagnol has reportedly been offered the position of general manager of AS Monaco should he indeed call time on his career. He maintains close ties with the principality, having recently bought a house in the region and is the co-owner of a bar in the area and is believed to be keen to remain in football.   

His departure will leave a big gap at the Allianz Arena which will no longer hear the cry of “Williiiiieeeee” echoing around the stadium whenever the Frenchman is on the ball. 

Having made 184 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern it is time to say ‘au revoir’ and ‘merci’ to Willy Sagnol.

Mathew Burt, Goal.com