During the week of the Super Bowl in distant Los Angeles, NFL fan Julian Nagelsmann and some Bayern stars tried out American football at the Munich training ground.

But the switch to the football egg was just a moody change.

On Saturday (3.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky) the focus in Bochum is again on round football – and two men in particular: goalkeeper Sven Ulreich and national player Niklas Süle, who will soon be changing to the black and yellow jersey from Borussia Dortmund .

Nagelsmann made it very clear on Friday that he still sees the BVB defector Süle as an important building block for the desired title wins in the Bundesliga and Champions League in the remaining four months.

That's why he contradicted demands from the Munich fan camp: "I understand one or the other critical comment from the fans that Niklas shouldn't be allowed to play anymore.

But there are normal processes in football.”

Unfortunately, players would sometimes leave FC Bayern for free.

"But we all have to be aware that the player will still get money from Bayern Munich until June 30 and that we should also take advantage of his qualities." evaluate publicly.

He also does not know all the motives of the 26-year-old.

He was just "sad that he won't be there next year," said the coach.

Nagelsmann's message to fans

Nagelsmann formulated a final, clear order for Süle in the Bayern jersey: "In terms of character, I expect him to fulfill his duty to throw everything in, go full throttle and have this absolute greed until the last day at FC Bayern that we are successful and get the titles.” He tickles Süle with the fact that he “throws everything in and wins everything in the four months.”

Nagelsmann also formulated this message to the Bayern fans: "Unfortunately, it is the case in football that players sometimes switch to places where you don't find it particularly good as a fan." Say Dortmund.

"The other way around, we sometimes get players from clubs where the fans think it's very good that we got players from this club." World footballer Robert Lewandowski switched from Borussia Dortmund to Munich in 2014 - also on a free transfer.

"Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose," summarized Nagelsmann.

Sven Ulreich also wants to be a winner.

The 33-year-old has the difficult task of deputizing for captain Manuel Neuer, who has had his knee operated, in goal - and to recommend himself with top performances for a new contract in the summer.

Ulreich is looking forward to the task.

Despite very little match practice, he feels well-armed for what is only his third appearance of the season against promoted VfL Bochum, who Bayern literally overran 7-0 in the first half of the season with Neuer in goal.

“You prepare every week to be ready when the case comes.

Of course it's good that I played a few weeks ago.

That's why I'm ready for the game," said Ulreich in a video on Bayern's website.

He last replaced Neuer at the beginning of the year in the league leaders' 2-1 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

At the start of the second half of the season, Captain Neuer was absent due to a corona infection.

Now the 35-year-old is out longer after a meniscus operation, including in the Champions League round of 16 against RB Salzburg.

"Of course, if you know you're in demand at the weekend, it's a different focus for the game.

It's different than when you know you're on the bench," said Ulreich.

Nagelsmann trusts the number two.

"I am confident that he will perform well.

Ulle represented Manu a long time ago.

He has a certain amount of experience and is no longer a 21-year-old who slips in there.” Of course, the Munich game will change without Neuer, who you can “play in any pressure situation” because of his footballing class.

"Ulle can also kick," Nagelsmann remarked, but Neuer was "outstanding" in the role of goalkeeper.

As a goalkeeper, Ulreich's main goal is to keep his box clean.

"In Bochum we have an opponent in front of us who is very unpleasant at home," said the veteran: "We have to be very focused.

Then we can also do well there.” And then the focus can then be entirely on the Champions League and RB Salzburg.