Owen at Bayern

Junior team
Owen Hargreaves moved at the age of sixteen from the Calgary Foothills to FC Bayern Munich on 1 July, 1997. For two years he lived in the Youth Hostel House at number 53 Säbener Street. Owen played in the Under 19 team for two and a half years before spending six months with the Amateur team. Whilst with the Under 19s the team reached the Final of the German Championship in 1998. They lost in the Final to Borussia Dortmund, but only after a penalty shoot-out in Dortmund’s “Rote-Erde” Stadium.

Owen at FC Bayern

Season 2000/2001
In 2000/2001, more precisely on 12.08.2000, Owen played in his first Bundesliga game. In the game against Hertha BSC he came on as substitute for Carsten Jancker in the 83rd minute. His first appearance in the starting eleven came against SpVgg Unterhaching on September 16 of the same year.

That season was to be a triumph for Owen and FC Bayern. The team won not only the Bundesliga title, but the Champions League Final, as well. His performances in the Champions League soon put Owen in the spotlight of international attention. In the game against Real Madrid in the semi-final Owen lit up the game with fine dribbles and fine passes. Up against the likes of Roberto Carlos and Luis Figo Owen was able to demonstrate his extraordinary talent.

FC Bayern beat Real Madrid 2-1 and thus qualified for the Final of the Champions League. The Final took place in Milan’s San Siro Stadium on May 23, 2001 where Owen impressed a worldwide television audience over the full 120 minutes against Spain’s CF Valencia. Even after extra time the teams could not be separated (1-1) and it was only after penalties (6-5) that FC Bayern were crowned Champions, Owen Hargreaves becoming the first ‘Canadian’ to win a Champions League winners’ medal.

Season 2001/2002
2001/2002 saw Owen establish himself in the FC Bayern Munich’s first team clocking up 46 appearances. In August 2001 FC Bayern lost to Liverpool (3-2) in the Final of the European SuperCup in Monaco, but on November 27 the team triumphed in the World Club Final (1-0) over Boca Juniors of Argentina in Tokyo. Once more Owen went where no Canadian had gone before in winning that particular title. In both games Owen was in the starting line-up.

At home in the Bundesliga FC Bayern could only finish third while their defence of the Champions League trophy ended at the quarter final stage where they went out to the eventual winners, Real Madrid. In the domestic cup competition Schalke 04 defeated FC Bayern Munich in the semi final. It was, in spite of all this, a decisive year for Owen as he had become a key player in the first team. In taking part in 29 Bundesliga games plus a further 13 in the Champions League he was one of the most regular team members.

Season 2002/2003
2002/2003 saw the return of some success. At home, at least. The Champions League brought only an early exit at the first Group stage. In what is only his third year as a professional Owen has celebrated his second Bundesliga Championship win. The team has also reached the Final of the German Cup. On January 26, 2003 Owen finally scored his first Bundesliga goal in the game against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Unfortunately the season has also seen him out injured on three separate occasions. In September he tore a thigh muscle, then in October a calf muscle. Towards the end of the season adductor problems have meant he has missed a further three weeks. This past season he has racked up 25 Bundesliga appearances, four Cup games and three matches in the Champions League.

Season 2003/2004
The 2003/2004 season was Owen’s first with Bayern without winning any silverware. After clinching the double the year before, the Munich side “only” finished second in the Bundesliga. But, as runners-up to Werder Bremen, they still qualified automatically for the Champions League. However, in the 2003/2004 Champions League campaign Owen and Co crashed out at the last 16 stage. The German record champions were eliminated by Real Madrid, drawing the first leg 1-1 at home and losing 1-0 to the Spanish giants in the return game.

FC Bayern’s DFB Cup campaign ended in the quarterfinals. The Bavarian outfit lost 2-1 to second division Alemannia Aachen. At the end of the season, after six years as coach of FC Bayern, the club released Ottmar Hitzfeld as well as assistant coach Michael Henke. Owen made his breakthrough under Ottmar Hitzfeld in 2001, winning the Bundesliga, Champions League and World Club title with the German in charge. “Ottmar Hitzfeld is a fine person and it was a very nice and successful time with him,” said Owen.