Lothar Matthäus urges Bayern to give Michael Olise a new contract

Lothar Matthäus has publicly defended Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise after the player's suspension in Norway, comparing the 22-year-old's talent to Diego Maradona and calling on the club to offer a new contract.

Matthäus praised Olise's creativity and resilience on the field, saying: "I'm thrilled when he performs magic on the pitch, when he brings me joy, when I think: 'What will he do next?' That's the essence of football for me and I love it. He had to endure criticism for the mistake, including public criticism from the coach, which is really rare. On Saturday against Leipzig he had to take the same beatings as in many previous matches. But he did not give in, perhaps because he now realises: 'Hey, I'm unbelievably good.' The same once happened with Diego Maradona — it's hard to ever stop such players by legal, fair means! And Olise is not just good, he is a great player," Matthäus added.

The comments follow Olise's suspension during Bayern's trip to Norway — an episode that has sparked debate in Bavaria about discipline and how the club treats exceptionally gifted players. Matthäus framed the situation as an example of how clubs sometimes overreact to lapses from players who consistently produce moments of brilliance.

Matthäus urges Bayern to raise Olise's wages and extend his deal

Turning to Olise's market value, Matthäus argued the winger is underpaid relative to his performances and proposed a significant pay rise and a new long-term contract for the former England youth international.

"Looking at his performances over the past year and a half: if you adjust his salary to his market value, he would have to earn almost four times more! Now he should be getting 45, 46, 47 million euros! I would immediately extend his contract! I would try to tie him down for another two or three years, with another ten million increase," Matthäus said, laying out precise figures he believes reflect Olise's worth.

Matthäus's intervention has already reverberated in Munich, reopening the conversation at Bayern about balancing discipline with the retention of elite talent. The club's next move on Olise's status and contract will be closely watched by supporters and the wider European transfer market.

Photo: press material from the event