Three insights: A Bayern star sets a big exclamation mark | OneFootball

FC Bayern win their last game of the year at 1. FC Heidenheim. FCBinside provides three insights into the match

Bayern won confidently 4-0 at Heidenheimand the game provided the following insights

1. Bayern impressively defy the lack of personnel

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany had to make do without nine professionals in Heidenheim: Jamal Musiala, Manuel Neuer, Sacha Boey, Konrad Laimer, Joshua Kimmich, Nicolas Jackson, Minjae Kim, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Tom Bischof were all unavailable for various reasons. Of course, some of them were simply not willing to take any risks and would probably have played in a knockout game in the Champions League. Kimmich, for example, even travelled with the team to Heidenheim to cheer on his colleagues from the bench

Nevertheless, Kompany had few options for changes, with only Serge Gnabry, Alphonso Davies and Sven Ulreich on the bench as seasoned professionals. But the first eleven dealt with the situation impressively. Heidenheim may be stuck in the basement of the table, but coach Frank Schmidt’s team is certainly capable of upsetting the big boys. Bayern still have bad memories of April 2024, when they lost 3-2 in Heidenheim after leading 2-0 under coach Thomas Tuchel. A lot has happened since then, however, and Kompany has given the team a new structure. And also a new mindset

After the game, the Belgian revealed that preparations for the game had been going on in the coaching offices at Säbener Straße until midnight the day before. They didn’t want to fall into the trap of trying to play the last game before the winter break in passing. Bayern managed to do just that. The game was won in a highly respectable manner, Munich played with concentration from the start and took the potentially unpleasant task seriously in the freezing cold in Heidenheim

Bayern played a highly dominant first half of the season, with FC Arsenal their only defeat of the season so far. The short winter break was well deserved even before the last clash with Heidenheim, but after the clear victory in difficult conditions, the Bayern stars can now enjoy the short break even more

2. Kompany plays the development worker

The transfer from the Bayern campus to the first team has been a recurring theme in recent years. The bosses expected more results in the development of young players. Aleksandar Pavlovic already took his chance under Kompany’s predecessor Tuchel. This season then saw the meteoric rise of Lennart Karl, who was back in the starting eleven in Heidenheim

The FCB managers are becoming increasingly fond of this model: before the season, a possible €150 million transfer of Florian Wirtz to Munich was the big topic – now, with Karl, they have a young German soon-to-be international in their ranks who came from their own youth ranks

The record champions want to continue to cultivate the new youth style and Kompany is working hard to achieve this. In Heidenheim, he gave two talents from the campus their Bundesliga debut: 18-year-old midfielder David Santos Daiber was substituted in the 72nd minute

Cassiano Kiala then came on in stoppage time: at 16 years and 344 days, he is the second youngest player ever to appear in a Bundesliga match for FC Bayern – only Paul Wanner, who made his debut at 16 years and 15 days, was even younger. Kiala is expected to do a lot at Säbener Straße, he should even have what it takes to become a regular in central defence and be given a long-term professional contract. His debut in Heidenheim could be the start of the next Lennart Karl story at Bayern

3. Stanisic sets a big exclamation mark

After the return of Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito, Bayern have an oversupply at full-back. Davies was signed to a long-term contract before his tragic cruciate ligament rupture and is expected to remain a pillar of the team in the future. When everyone is fit, Ito is his backup at left-back

All-rounders Konrad Laimer and Josip Stanisic have also helped out here recently. Raphael Guerreiro can actually play anywhere anyway, but was also a candidate for the left side of defence. Laimer is currently the first choice on the right flank after his strong performances in the first half of the season. Sacha Boey was also planned here at one point, but made his last appearance on 1 November. He could leave Bayern in the winter transfer period, with Crystal Palace from the Premier League reportedly interested

photo: IMAGO

That leaves Josip Stanisic. The home-grown talent from Munich’s youth system, who became German champion with the Werkself during his loan spell at Leverkusen, has also played a solid season so far. There is plenty of competition for him in the Munich squad. The 25-year-old can also play centre-back, but Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah are set to do so

In Heidenheim, however, Stanisic once again made a big impression before the winter break. The Croatian international is still a player to watch. He headed Bayern 1-0 up himself, and Stanisic set up Luis Diaz’s diving header to make it 3-0. The Croatian international was always dynamically involved up front and impressed in defence with his consistent tackling. If Stanisic maintains this level, he will certainly continue to get his chances – despite the strong competition.