The spectacular 5:4 in the Champions League semi-final between FC Bayern and Paris Saint-Germain not only caused a stir in sporting terms – the German record champions are also currently experiencing a noticeable economic upturn
CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen has now made it clear what impact the recent top matches against Real Madrid and PSG have had on the global perception of the club
Within just a few days, FC Bayern gained over five million new followers on social networks – a figure that even caused astonishment at Säbener Strasse. For Dreesen, this is a clear signal: „Global interest in FC Bayern has reached a new dimension,“ he emphasized in an interview with the club’s own website
Especially in international markets such as the USA, the attention surrounding the club has increased massively
Reach at record level
The TV and streaming figures also underline this trend, with the quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid reportedly being watched by almost one billion people worldwide
The semi-final first leg against PSG even went one better and, according to Dreesen, broke all streaming records
These are decisive developments for FC Bayern – not only for its own brand strength, but also in terms of sponsors and partnerships
Despite these positive signals, the situation remains challenging, with Dreesen emphasizing that it is becoming increasingly difficult for Bayern to keep up with the financial possibilities of the Premier League
At the same time, the CEO sees the current season as proof that sporting success is not exclusively dependent on the budget
Focus remains on the sporting side
As impressive as the economic effects are, they play no role in everyday sporting life, and Dreesen made it clear that the euphoria surrounding the first leg should have no influence on the second leg
FC Bayern are one goal behind at „half-time“ of the duel and must go into the game with precisely this attitude: focused, disciplined and self-confident
The message from the management is clear: praise and international recognition are nice, but they won’t get the club into the final
„Praise won’t get us to Budapest,“ Dreesen made it unmistakably clear
Only one thing counts for Bayern now: the performance on the pitch and the chance to make a definitive statement not only in sporting terms but also globally with another great performance.