By David Gold
March 29 – Bayern Munich President Franz Beckenbauer has spoken of his hope that investment can be found to save the club’s city rivals 1860 from insolvency.
The club needs to find €8 million (£7 million/$11 million) by Thursday (March 31) to avoid going out of business, with €3 million (£2.6 million/$4.2 million) owed to Bayern.
The former Germany captain and World Cup winner said: “Munich without 1860 is not something I want to imagine.”
Beckenbauer has advised friends to invest in the club, who are currently playing in the Second Division, and lie eight in the table.
He says that the only solution to the club’s financial problems is to find an investor who will guide them back into the top tier of German football.
Though 1860 shared the Allianz Arena with Bayern Munich from 2005, they have since sold their share in the Stadium in order to raise money and now pay rent to use the ground.
Yet their supporters are wary of support from Bayern, and Roman Beer, chairman of an 1860 fan group, has said that it would be better to restart again in the amateur leagues than be helped off the club’s deathbed by their bitter rivals.
He also said that “Bayern would only be acting in self-interest because they need a tenant for the Allianz Arena.”
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