James Rodríguez has openly criticized his former Bayern Munich coach, Niko Kovac, in his new Netflix documentary. The Colombian midfielder, who played two seasons on loan from Real Madrid, from 2017 to 2019, highlighted the difficulties he had under Kovac's regime, according to Goal.com.

Initial Success and Strained Relationship with Kovac

During his first season with Bayern, Rodríguez enjoyed success under coaches Carlo Ancelotti and Jupp Heynckes, who both spoke Spanish. Ancelotti was fired in September 2017, and Heynckes temporarily took over, leading the club to the championship. However, the arrival of Niko Kovac in the summer of 2018 marked a turning point.

“Every coach has their favorites, and I wasn’t one of Kovac’s,” Rodríguez recalled. He also mentioned that their relationship was complicated by the language barrier, as he never put much effort into learning German. "We had German classes, but they were boring."

The training methods were particularly frustrating for Rodríguez. "He made us ride a bike for 30 minutes after every training session. I told him, 'Wait a minute, am I training for the Tour de France? I'm a soccer player, not a cyclist.'"

Decrease in Playing Time and Departure from Bayern

The statistical difference between his first and second seasons at Bayern was stark. Under Ancelotti and Heynckes, Rodríguez played 2,645 minutes, scoring eight goals and providing 14 assists. In the following season under Kovac, his playing time dropped to 1,654 minutes, partly due to two injuries, and he ended the season with seven goals and six assists.

Following the end of his two-year loan worth €13 million, Bayern chose not to extend the deal. Rodríguez returned to Real Madrid for another season but never managed to regain the form he showed after the 2014 World Cup, when Real Madrid signed him from Monaco for €75 million. Kovac himself was dismissed from Bayern in November . Despite this, he went on to manage Borussia Dortmund.

Soccer Nomad and Key Figure in Colombian National Team

Since leaving Madrid in 2020, Rodríguez has moved through several clubs including Everton, Al-Rayyan, Olympiacos, São Paulo, Rayo Vallecano, Club León, and most recently Minnesota United. Despite his nomadic career, he remains a key player for the Colombian national team, which will compete in the upcoming World Cup group against Portugal, Uzbekistan, and DR Congo. The Netflix documentary about his career, which includes these details, was released this Thursday.