Former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has been released from prison after serving half of his three-and-a-half-year sentence for tax evasion.
Bavaria's Justice Ministry confirmed that Hoeness, who was convicted in March 2014, was released from Landsberg prison on Monday morning after serving 21 months of his 40-month sentence.
Last week, Hoeness told kicker magazine: "I will enjoy football, go into the stadium, and be a fan again."
Kicker reported that he will make further decision about his future after a long holiday with his family in June. The 1974 World Cup winner has not yet said whether he wants to return to a senior role at the club.
Hoeness had benefited from a work-release programme since January 2015, under which he worked for Bayern's youth department during the day before returning to prison in the evening.
The contract with Bayern Munich ended with his release on Feb. 29, 2016, and Hoeness told Sport Bild he had donated all income from his work in the youth department to charity.
Several German media outlets reported Hoeness' release on Monday by publishing live updates, and Die Welt said that a six-man brass band from his local village of Bad Wiessee welcomed him back with local songs, while several crates of beer were taken to his house near the town of Tegernsee.
Speaking to reporters outside the family home, his son, Florian, said in the morning that his father had returned but was not expecting friends such as Schalke chief Clemens Tonnies and honorary Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer to visit.
Bild reported that Hoeness is set to return to the Allianz Arena for the first time since his incarceration on June 2, 2014, when Bayern host Mainz on Wednesday.
According to several reports in Germany, Hoeness is to make another public appearance on March 13, when he is set to make a speech in praise of former Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, who will be honoured by his hometown of Monchengladbach.