12 problem children and one question
By Carolin Bluechel
Munich – Actually, everything has been going well at Bayern Munich so far. Herbstmeister, pristine white slate in the Champions League. Even the cup stumble of the past few years did not happen. Sunshine on Säbener Straße. Until the World Cup in Qatar.
This overthrew the record champions within a few weeks in a real crisis. In the third group game against Costa Rica, there were seven Bayern stars in the starting XI in Thomas Müller, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane, Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich and Manuel Neuer, and the frustration barometer should show maximum values.
And then Andreas Brehme’s legendary “Schei*e-am-Fuss” quote was also confirmed: Keeper Neuer broke his lower leg during the subsequent skiing holiday – season over. “The goals are all in danger now,” said Bayern ambassador Stefan Effenberg in a “double pass” on “Sport 1”. Even if a very good goalkeeper might be available in Sven Ulreich.
Nübel or Neuer? Bayern in the goalkeeper dilemma
For Michael Reschke, the responsible technical director at Bayern, it is clear that the club WILL explore the goalkeeper market during the winter break. “Relying only on Sven Ulreich is too risky. Sven could also be impaired and behind them FC Bayern only have young, very inexperienced goalkeepers in the squad. The risk of opening the envisaged goals is too great,” he said Reschke, who now works in player advice ran.
First choice at Bayern is Alexander Nübel, who was loaned to AS Monaco. The 26-year-old moved to Munich from Schalke in the summer of 2020 as the designated new successor. However, because the ambitious newcomer did not give him any match practice, Nübel only fled to the principality a year later.
“If Nübel should come back, the question will arise for him: What happens when Manuel Neuer is fit again for the new season? A clear commitment is needed,” demanded Reschke.
But how certain is it that the 36-year-old Neuer will continue after such an injury? And how strong can he still be? Even at the World Cup, one sometimes had the feeling that the 2014 World Champion was no longer 100 percent as quick as he was in his prime.
Should Bayern go for a new number one right away or rely on Neuer’s comeback? “Personally, this is the most difficult decision that Bayern has to make,” predicted Effenberg in the “double pass”.
Nagelsmann asked as a comforter
A decision that should cause headaches for club boss Oliver Kahn and sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, while coach Julian Nagelsmann needs psychological skills to get his depressed players back on track.
Immediately after leaving the World Cup, Kimmich was “afraid of falling into a hole”, and Müller even spoke of a “feeling of powerlessness”.
Mane is missing longer, Hernandez is out of the season
Not only the DFB stars are devastated. New signing Sadio Mane was injured just before the World Cup and underwent surgery on his fibula head. The Senegalese will probably even pass the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League against Paris St. Germain. Maybe even more.
Lucas Hernandez reports a cruciate ligament rupture with the French team in Qatar and will probably be out until the end of the season.
Pavard benched
Compatriot Benjamin Pavard is not physically but mentally affected. Because he had to appear as a right-back in the “Equipe Tricolore” and not in the preferred center of defence, Pavard is said to have been offended. After the performance in the first group game left a lot to be desired, coach Didier Deschamps demoted the defensive all-rounder to a bench press.
Even if France were to defend the title, Pavard is unlikely to return with the greatest confidence. Just like Kingsley Coman, who doesn’t get beyond the joker role at the World Cup.
Like it is with Matthijs de Ligt. Holland coach Louis van Gaal put on Bayern’s new signing at the start, but he stewed on the bench until he was eliminated in the quarter-finals. Probably also because he had suffered from a knee injury in the run-up to the tournament.
“It’s not that frustrating. I was afraid I wouldn’t play at this World Cup at all,” said De Ligt with restraint, which is not the case at Bayern.
Just two happy Bayern stars
Leaving aside Alphonso Davies (Canada) and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (Ghana), whose national teams have at least limited what they can, only two Bayern stars remain in semi-finalists Dayot Upamecano (France) and Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco). who will return to Säbener Strasse with a broad chest and a positive attitude.
Quite a big challenge for Munich. But for the rest of the Bundesliga, maybe the chance to make the championship fight more exciting this season.