Bayern Munich’s players support Alaba amid contract dispute

Jerome Boateng has revealed that Bayern Munich’s players were behind David Alaba amid uncertainty over the defender’s future.

Alaba, 28, looks set to leave the European and Bundesliga champions after failing to agree to a new contract, with his current deal expiring at season’s end.

Still, the defender played 90 minutes as Bayern thrashed Salzburg 6-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Boateng said the players backed Alaba, who arrived at Bayern as a youth player in 2008.

“Of course it’s an issue, but not as big as it is done. He focuses on the essentials,” he told Sky.

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“It’s not an easy situation for him, that is clear. But he played another great game today. We as a team are absolutely behind him.”

Speaking prior to the Salzburg match, Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic admitted he assumes Alaba will leave the club as he is unable to see a successful resolution to his contract saga.

“I can tell you what happened. We negotiated and made David an offer. He refused it. Ten days ago we sat down again and submitted another offer – with a deadline,” Salihamidzic told Sky.

“We informed David and his agent that we would withdraw the offer when the deadline expired. We did that. I spoke to his agent again on Saturday and tried to talk to David again on Sunday because I wanted to know what was going on, but not much happened.

“I don’t know anymore how we will find a way back together. We made an offer and it was rejected. Now we have to assume that David will leave us.”

Bayern initially came from behind against Salzburg and the Group A clash was level when Masaya Okugawa equalised for the Austrian giants in the 66th minute.

But Bayern scored four times in 13 minutes, beginning with Boateng in the 79th and completed by Lucas Hernandez in additional time.

The result extended Bayern’s unbeaten away run in the Champions League to 15 matches. Only Manchester United (16 between 2007 and 2010) have produced a longer run.