Former Germany defender Jérôme Boateng, who played for Bayern Munich from 2011 to 2021, recently revealed he had spoken with Bayern coach Vincent Kompany and received approval for an internship with the club, though no dates have been finalised.

However, some Bayern supporters have expressed strong objections due to Boateng’s legal history. Last year, a Munich court found him guilty of premeditated bodily harm against his former partner, handing him a suspended fine and a warning.

An online petition titled “Setting borders against misogynistic violence: Jérôme Boateng should not be allowed back to Bayern Munich” had gathered nearly 2,000 signatures by Friday morning. Opposition had also surfaced in 2023, when Bayern considered a short-term deal for Boateng amid injuries to their defenders.

The 2024 trial marked the third case related to bodily harm in this matter. Bayern have not issued an official comment. In September, when asked about Boateng’s potential return, Kompany expressed support, saying he would welcome the former player “to spend some weeks with us and share his experiences as a top defender.”

Boateng, 37, earned 76 caps for Germany between 2009 and 2018. During his decade at Bayern, after joining from Manchester City—where he had been Kompany’s teammate—he helped the club secure nine Bundesliga titles and two Champions League trophies.

He retired last month after a stint with Austrian side LASK Linz, where his contract was terminated by mutual consent in August.