The relatively small squad, which has to cope with a triple burden, poses a risk in the event of injuries, which FC Bayern has consciously taken. Coach Vincent Kompany already has to improvise.
Only five left: That’s how many substitute players with professional experience coach Vincent Kompany has for Saturday afternoon’s away game in Hoffenheim. Raphael Guerreiro has not trained this week, and even though Kompany wants to wait and see, it is unlikely that the Portuguese player will be able to play. However, he is expected to return against Werder Bremen next Friday.
Josip Stanisic suffered an injury to the medial ligament in his right knee during the 3-1 win against Chelsea FC. According to Kompany, the Croatian is likely to miss the next four competitive games until the next international break, after which he will probably be able to plan with him again. The Belgian did not want to reveal how he would respond to the personnel shortage on the defensive wing in Hoffenheim—Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito are still in rehabilitation training—but the solution should not be difficult. As was the case for long stretches after halftime against Chelsea, Konrad Laimer is likely to move from right to left. The Austrian is in top form and flexible. “He has been very stable and flexible for a long time, he solves a lot with his intensity. I think he has become much better defensively, also because he knows the position better,” Kompany praised the Austrian at the press conference on Friday morning.
Sacha Boey is ready on the right. He was an uncertainty at the start of the season, but played well after coming on as a substitute against the Londoners and didn’t put a foot wrong. “I have confidence in every single player in the squad, there are no exceptions,” said the coach, backing the Frenchman in a somewhat cryptic manner.
Bischof could also start in the back four
Theoretically, Tom Bischof could also play at left-back on his return to Hoffenheim, where he came on as a substitute against HSV (5-0) last Saturday. And Joshua Kimmich could also help out on the right in an emergency, but this is not planned. Either way, Kompany still has options, but the risk of further injuries due to overexertion cannot be ruled out. Ultimately, Kompany says he will have to see how the players cope with the game against Chelsea before finalizing the lineup.
He will not underestimate the opponents from Sinsheim; the flow should carry Bayern to their next victory. Kompany warns: “Apart from the game against Frankfurt (1-3, editor’s note), they have won everything, they also have momentum and will be hoping for that.
We are approaching the game in the same way as we did against Chelsea, we are not underestimating them. Quite the opposite, in fact.” He still has enough good players for the next victory, and next week is not an English one either.