Eintracht Frankfurt CEO Axel Hellmann has praised Bayern Munich's €250 million deal as a model for the entire Bundesliga. The 55-year-old club boss and DFL presidium member was reacting to the capital injection the record champions received from the Viessmann Generations Group.
Hellmann welcomed the transaction, which saw Viessmann acquire a five percent stake in FC Bayern München AG. "I can only congratulate them," said Hellmann. "In these times, achieving and placing such a value is remarkable. I can only say: well done."
Investment possible under 50+1
In his view, the deal proves that the controversial 50+1 ownership rule does not have to exclude investors. "We can all conclude from this in the league that shareholdings are possible while observing 50+1," explained the Eintracht CEO. He stated that trustworthy partners and a clear distribution of roles are key. Clubs could thus strengthen themselves financially without giving up their identity and member control.
The statement comes at a time when Eintracht Frankfurt themselves are on a solid sporting path. Dino Toppmöller's team sits 11th in the Bundesliga table with eight points from six matches. Their record shows two wins, two draws, and two defeats. However, their recent form over the last five games is encouraging, with three wins, one draw, and one loss.
Most recently, Eintracht won 1-0 against 1. FC Köln, before suffering a heavy 6-0 defeat in Leipzig. The next test awaits on Saturday with an away match at Borussia Dortmund, who are currently second in the table. Top scorer Younes Ebnoutalib, who netted the winner against Köln, leads the internal scoring chart with five goals this season. The team has scored ten goals so far but has also conceded sixteen.
Hellmann's comments underline the strategic importance of such investments in the competition with Europe's top leagues. With a six-point gap to leaders Bayern Munich, the current standings show how key sustainable financial strength is. Eintracht must now focus on the difficult away fixture in Dortmund, which will be a stern test of their current form.
This story first appeared at Bild Sport
