Breno’s new start as freiganger – “glimmer of opportunity”

Haftling breno started his new life at just before nine. A driver took the convicted professional soccer player from munich’s stadelheim prison to the club grounds of FC bayern, where he will be allowed to work from morning until early afternoon.

The resocialization after 13 months in prison for aggravated arson is something like a new beginning for the former millionaire buyer. "One of the rough bavarian family has rough problems. Now there is this glimmer of chance, we want to open it up for him," said club president uli hoeneb on monday, breno’s first day as a freiganger.

Bayern captain philipp lahm also thinks highly of the sudamerican: "it’s great for him that he’s getting this opportunity, that he’s getting so much support from FC bayern. I certainly hope he finds his way back to life," said the national team captain at the premiere of the new bayern film "wembley – football is coming hoam" in munich this evening.

Just one hour after his arrival at the FCB, breno was sitting on the podium with moist eyes – his ex-club had called a press conference especially for him.

"Thanks," he says at the beginning, "i’m a little nervous". And: "I’m already a bit of a different person now."He has shed many tears since his conviction in july 2012. He often lies in bed. "God helps a lot" he says quietly.

For prisoners like breno, release is an important measure of resocialization for later life in freedom. The munich correctional facility (JVA) has given the soccer player this chance after "tough months in jail" because of his good behavior – and he wants to take advantage of it. Because the dream of being able to play professional soccer again after the end of his prison sentence "lives on", he stressed.

In september 2011, breno set fire to his rented villa in grunwald; the total prison sentence is three years and nine months. And so he must return to the prison every day. Thanks to his release from prison, the 23-year-old is still allowed to work five hours a day in the youth department of his former club, help out on the coaching staff of the U-23 team, and also take part in training there.

Head of junior staff wolfgang dremmler wants to supervise breno. The former pro gets breno at 8.30 o’clock at the jail and bring him back at 13.30 o’clock back. If everything goes well, they hope to be able to keep breno there until evening soon. He has to "get his head free of this prison mythology," emphasizes dremmler.

FCB boss hoeneb says that breno has been an "exemplary prisoner", referring to the prison management, and that "he will behave just as impeccably here."However, the once so talented sudamerican is not allowed to play in the league games in the bavarian regional league. The reporting requirements speak against it, "besides, we weren’t allowed to use any non-EU foreigners in the regional league," says hoeneb.

The ongoing tax case against hoeneb is not a topic this morning, instead the 61-year-old slips into the role of a father substitute for breno. Five and a half years ago, he had come to the isar metropolis for a transfer fee of twelve million euros, but after that he did not settle in either privately or athletically. His personal wish was to give breno this opportunity for resocialization, says hoeneb emphatically. "That’s just how bayern munchen is," he said. If you are on the sunny side "like us, we must help all who are in need".

Breno’s lawyer sewarion kirkitadze recently expressed optimism that his client could be released on parole as early as the beginning of 2014 – because of exemplary behavior. Whether it’s already then or later – "breno will also get the chance to get physically fit again for afterwards," says hoeneb. He assumes that breno will be deported from the federal republic at the end of his prison term, "perhaps he will no longer be able to play soccer in all of europe."A future for breno is possible, for example, in his home country with FC sao paulo. His last stage at bayern has now probably begun.