Hoeness reveals Dortmund loan
Bayern loaned cash-strapped rivals two million euros in 2003
Last Updated: February 6, 2012 5:23pm
Uli Hoeness: Revealed loan to Borussia Dortmund in 2003 which was repaid the same year
Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has revealed the club loaned Borussia Dortmund two million euros almost ten years ago to help save their title rivals from bankruptcy.
The payment by Bayern was made and repaid in 2003 after heavy investment by the Dortmund board had put the club into dire financial straits.
In March 2005, the club was again in financial trouble and on the verge of bankruptcy as they only just managed to avoid insolvency, but corrected their cash situation enough to become German champions last season.
The two clubs currently head the Bundesliga table and Hoeness has no regrets about helping their rivals out.
The Bayern president said: "When they couldn't pay up anymore, sometimes even for salaries, we gave them an unsecured loan for a few months.
Big fan
"I'm a big fan of tradition in sport and I don't think that was a bad thing to do."
Dortmund's chief executive officer Hans-Joachim Watzke has confirmed the Bayern loan to local newspaper the Ruhr Nachrichten.
Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes has said he does not believe Hoeness' comments are planned to unsettle their Dortmund rivals who are top of the league on 43 points with Bayern in second place on 41 points, level with Schalke.
"I do not see this as calculated," said Heynckes on Monday.
"It was a good few years ago and I think it is a positive thing there is some solidarity in the league."
Dortmund have since turned their finances around and managed to sign Borussia Moenchengladbach's rising star Marco Reus for 17.5million euros to play for them next season, having seen off competition from Bayern.
