Julian Nagelsmann has described squad planning at FC Bayern as a "complex issue".

"We certainly have a few construction sites," admitted the Munich coach on Friday.

With a squad that has played together for a long time and has also been successful, at some point it would be time “to do something new.

That's important," said the 34-year-old.

The loss of income from the Corona crisis is having a negative effect on the German record champions.

"We are also a bit financially hampered by the pandemic," said Nagelsmann.

"We don't have the leeway we need to take the really big step."

FC Bayern failed for the second time in a row in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

The semifinals are "not a fixed planning factor" for the finance department, but "always the goal worth striving for," said Nagelsmann.

The club lost several million as a result.

The coach, who came from RB Leipzig in the summer, reported to "important players" that there were "difficult and tricky negotiations".

The contracts of the leading players Robert Lewandowski (33 years old), Manuel Neuer (36) and Thomas Müller (32) will expire in the summer of 2023, as will the contract of Serge Gnabry (26).

Midfielder Ryan Gravenberch (19) and right-back Noussair Mazraoui (24) are traded from Ajax Amsterdam as newcomers.

“We are very good at planning.

It's now about the implementation, which is not as easy as you would like it to be," Nagelsmann said about the squad design.

He also brought up a possible venture investment.

"At some point you have to take a bit of a risk in the hope that more will come of it later on.

We are at this point right now, to think about it carefully, to calculate it," said Nagelsmann.

Nagelsmann confirmed his desire for star striker Lewandowski to stay.

"Of course I'd like to keep him," he said.

Lewandowski is an "extremely important player, very important scorer".

The Polish national player has a contract with the German record champions until the summer of 2023. Recently, however, there has been speculation about a possible early departure from FC Barcelona.

Nagelsmann himself does not have the impression that the six-time Bundesliga top scorer wants to leave.

"In the talks, he seems like he would like to stay," he said, referring to football-specific conversations with Lewandowski.

But you can't "look completely inside your head," said Nagelsmann.

It is also "a bit normal that you always think about your future".

CEO Oliver Kahn and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic are in exchange with Lewandowski.

The contract of winger Gnabry, who is currently struggling with form fluctuations, also expires in the summer of 2023.

The contract situation preoccupies the national player "certainly a bit", said Nagelsmann, "that's completely normal and human".

Since Gnabry is "very reflective" and a "bright little brain", the open contract question may cost him one or the other "percentage point in performance".

Nagelsmann admitted "a bit of sadness" within his team after the Champions League exit.

But his soccer stars now have to "do their job" in the championship, he demanded on Friday.

"Clear order" are two wins in the next two Bundesliga games on Sunday (3.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on DAZN) at Arminia from Bielefeld, who are threatened with relegation, and six days later at home in the top game against permanent rival Borussia Dortmund.

"You have to turn this sadness into vigour," demanded Nagelsmann.

FC Bayern was eliminated after the quarter-final second leg on Tuesday against the supposedly lucky lot FC Villarreal in the premier class.

With a win over Bielefeld, the Munich team want to “play a match point game against Dortmund” for the tenth German championship in a row.

After losing the DFB Cup and the Champions League, it is the only remaining title chance for FC Bayern, who are currently nine points ahead of Borussia.

As expected, Munich will have to do without defender Lucas Hernandez and winger Kingsley Coman in Bielefeld.

The two French internationals were unable to take part in the final training session on Saturday due to muscular problems, the league leaders announced.

Bouna Sarr, on the other hand, is an option for the squad again after recovering from patellar tendon problems.

National player Niklas Süle (ill) and Corentin Tolisso (torn muscle) were out for a long time.