Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann has revealed he received death threats on social media following the club’s exit from the Champions League.
The Bundesliga leaders were shocked by a late Villarreal equaliser on Tuesday and went out on aggregate after losing the first leg 1-0 in Spain last week.
Nagelsmann, the highly-rated 34-year-old coach, is in his first season with the German champions but said his mother has also been the target of abuse.
Despite their exit from Europe, Bayern Munich are nine points clear in the Bundesliga and are closing in on a tenth consecutive league championship.
“I know I will always get criticism from all sides - that’s normal and I can deal with it,” Nagelsmann said. “But with 450 death threats on Instagram, it’s not so easy.
“If people want to kill me that’s one thing, but they also attack my own mother, who doesn’t even care about football. I don’t understand it.
“As soon as they turn off the TV, people forget all decency. And they think they are the ones in the right, that’s the crazy thing.”
Nagelsmann, who replaced Hansi Flick at the club after he become the manager of the German national team, said abuse from online trolls was nothing new.
“I get them after every single game, regardless of whether we win or lose,” he said when asked whether he would take legal action.
“There are more death threats when we play with a back three than when we play with a back four, and obviously a few more whenever we lose.”
