Good news for Bayern: Guerreiro back in training | OneFootball

Raphael Guerreiro is apparently available to FC Bayern again sooner than initially feared. On Friday, he was already able to train again.

The Portuguese player, who suffered an abdominal muscle injury during the 5-0 home victory against Hamburger SV, participated in the final training session on Friday before the Bundesliga match against TSG Hoffenheim. This suggests a quick return, after the 31-year-old missed the entire training week.

Coach Vincent Kompany had previously emphasized at the press conference that the situation needed to be assessed day by day. “Regarding Rapha, we’ll see today. He hasn't trained all week. The important thing is that he won't be out for long. If he's not involved now, he'll be there next week,” explained the Belgian. Apparently, the stress test went well, so Guerreiro could at least be part of the squad against Hoffenheim.

Guerreiro could play against Hoffenheim

For the German record champions, the news is a great relief, as there is currently a shortage of personnel in the left-back position. Josip Stanisic was injured in the Champions League match against Chelsea (3-1) and, according to Kompany, will be out for “a few games.” Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito are also still unavailable. “The good thing is that Stani's injury isn't too bad. It's probably only short-term, and we'll solve it with the guys we have,” said the coach about the Croatian national player.

The shortages recently forced Kompany to improvise. At times, newcomer Tom Bischof moved to the left defense, even though the youngster's strengths are more in the midfield. “Anything is possible. But I'm only saying this because I don't want to reveal who will start tomorrow,” the coach said with a wink regarding possible options for the match in Sinsheim.

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With a fit Guerreiro, Bayern's options expand significantly. The veteran not only brings defensive stability but also qualities in game-building. For Kompany, his return would be an important component to stabilize the defense while simultaneously creating more variability in the offense. Whether the Portuguese will start in Hoffenheim or initially take a place on the bench remains to be seen – however, the chances of his involvement have significantly improved.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.