Max Eberl has spoiled the day and, once again, sought the limelight: from a human standpoint, Uli Hoeneß's behaviour was utterly disgraceful

Exactly five hours before kick-off in the final, Der Spiegel published an in-depth interview with Hoeneß. In it, the 74-year-old speaks with typical bluntness about Thomas Tuchel, the AfD, his dream line-up for the German national team at the World Cup, his time in prison and a host of other topics.

He even voiced "doubts" about the work of sporting director Max Eberl, appointed in early 2024, and estimated the odds of an extension to Eberl's 2027 contract at "60–40".

Of all days, it had to be the day of the DFB Cup final—FC Bayern's first major final since 2020. Of all days, it had to be the day the Munich side hoped to crown their best season in six years with a squad largely assembled by Eberl and a manager largely recruited by him. Yet on this very day, the club's most powerful man publicly called Eberl into question. 

On a human level, the move by Hoeneß was appalling; by hijacking the narrative, he turned a day of celebration into one of controversy. As a result, Eberl could not savour the 3-0 win over VfB Stuttgart and the accompanying double triumph. Naturally, he spent the celebrations worrying about his future and Hoeness's accusations, and he knew he would soon have to address the issue publicly. 

"60 to 40," Eberl volunteered with wry gallows humour as he entered the mixed zone, even before the first question was asked. He then gave an authentic, confident interview. His joy at the title and the season's crowning glory was clearly tempered by disappointment at Hoeness's remarks. Eberl expressed bewilderment at the timing but wisely avoided escalation. 

He even stressed that the doubts raised by Hoeneß and the supervisory board—loyal to the president and ultimately responsible for Eberl's future—were "legitimate". After all, Eberl's record as Bayern's sporting director is fair game for scrutiny.

Yes, Eberl—working alongside the rest of the sporting management team led by Christoph Freund and Jan-Christian Dreesen—signed the successful manager Vincent Kompany, a masterstroke. Yet, as Hoeneß later told Der Spiegel, Eberl's first choice had been to retain Tuchel and bring in several other coaches. Once Kompany proved his worth, however, Eberl swiftly extended his contract, fending off interest from Manchester City.

Loan striker Nicolas Jackson proved a flop, especially given the overall package worth around 25 million euros. Yet Hoeneß had publicly limited Eberl's options by ruling out loan signings, and the unnecessary, overpriced move for Joao Palhinha had already been set in motion before Eberl arrived.

Under Eberl's leadership, though, Bayern secured two standout marquee signings: Michael Olise and Luis Diaz. In Diaz's case, as with Kompany, the deal fell into place after the club's first-choice targets fell through. He also added free transfers Jonathan Tah and Tom Bischof, plus young goalkeeper Jonas Urbig—seen as Manuel Neuer's long-term successor—for just seven million euros.

He sold Mathys Tel, Paul Wanner and Adam Aznou for reasonable fees. Yet the costly extensions for Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala further strained an already bloated wage structure. No surprise, then, that Dayot Upamecano and, more recently, Konrad Laimer have used those deals as a benchmark in their own negotiations—creating a costly cycle. To make matters worse, Davies and Musiala have yet to recapture their peak form after suffering fresh injuries shortly after signing their lucrative extensions.

Eberl's public relations often lack authority. During contract negotiations, his ill-chosen words have repeatedly left him exposed. That was clearest during the undignified departure of club icon Thomas Müller a year ago, and again when he handled the failed pursuits of Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade last summer—Hoeneß-style. Lately, though, he has shown improvement.

Ultimately, though, what matters is what happens on the pitch, and this season Bayern have been as successful and entertaining as they have been in years. Cup winners. League champions with a host of records. Although they exited the Champions League semi-finals in dramatic fashion, the club won many admirers across Europe. With Harry Kane and Michael Olise, two potential Ballon d'Or candidates now ply their trade in Munich. Such successes are a collective effort, and the sporting director has played a significant part.

Yes, there are valid arguments against Max Eberl. At present, the positives outweigh the negatives, as Hoeness underlined with his "60 to 40" remark—though he timed it poorly. The summer ahead will give plenty of room for debate on Eberl's future. For now, a carefree cup final day, free of distracting noise, would still be welcome for everyone involved.