Bayern Munich travel this weekend to face VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. For one Benjamin Pavard, this means a trip to his old stomping grounds.
Pavard enjoyed three seasons in Stuttgart before arriving on a €35m transfer for Bayern in 2019. He helped the club to a promotion from the 2. Bundesliga in his first season (2016/17), and represented them for France at the 2018 World Cup. These days, however, Stuttgart find themselves once again battling relegation.
“I always watch Stuttgart games whenever I can. It’s a special club for me,” Pavard said recently for Sport1, via @iMiaSanMia. “The fans are incredible in good and bad moments. It hurts me to see Stuttgart in this situation. I hope they’ll turn things around and stay in the league.”
The other Die Roten have just nineteen points from 22 games, and are among a pack of five at the very bottom of the German table — along with Hertha Berlin, Hoffenheim, VfL Bochum, and Schalke.
“I hope on Saturday we’ll win our game there, but after that I hope they’ll win all their other games because it’s a special club for me,” Pavard concluded.
Since he’s arrived at Bayern, Pavard has known nothing but league titles for three seasons — with a fourth on the line this year. With clubs like Chelsea FC rumored to be circling, it’ll soon be time for Pavard to decide if Bayern will be another former club to hold near and dear in reminiscence — but that’s a question for the summer transfer window.