Insights: Why Gnabry can still play an important role for Bayern | OneFootball

FC Bayern clearly beat Union Berlin at home. FCBinside provides three insights into the match

Bayern gave the visitors no chance in their 4-1 win and the game provided the following insights

1. Why Gnabry can still play an important role for Bayern

Serge Gnabry impressed across the board against Union: The international scored a brace, was never within reach of the Berlin defence, won his duels, got his passes to the man and earned the FCBinside grade 1 with his performance . Bayern’s number 7 was also voted Man of the Match

There was plenty of praise for Gnabry afterwards, with his colleague and friend Joshua Kimmich raving: „Serge is amazing – outstanding! We’re lucky to have extended him.“

The Bayern bosses gave the 30-year-old a new two-year contract in February, for which Gnabry had provided many arguments with a strong season up to that point. Nevertheless, Gnabry is repeatedly criticized by the fans and in the media

Coach Vincent Kompany picked up on this in his praise for the attacking star. When asked whether he was surprised by Gnabry’s performance against Union, the coach replied: „I’m not surprised at all, but I’m always pleased. Of all our lads, Serge is perhaps the one whose talent is most underestimated. Because he’s sometimes injured and unavailable. That’s why I’m always pleased when Serge shows how good he is.“

Gnabry has indeed shown that many times this season. In 34 appearances, he has already collected 20 scoring points: Gnabry has ten goals and ten assists to his name, making him the team’s fourth-highest scorer after Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz. That’s a record to be proud of

Alongside the trio ahead of him in the rankings, Gnabry can still play an important role for Bayern in the decisive phase

Jamal Musiala, who was supposed to be the record champions‘ most important attacking player after his lucrative contract extension, has been absent for much of the season due to injury. He has now suffered another setback and is currently missing due to ankle problems. It is uncertain whether Musiala will be in top form for the thrilling clash against Real Madrid in the Champions League or the cup semi-final at Bayer Leverkusen

Lennart Karl has also been inconsistent of late: the 18-year-old has repeatedly played poorer games, such as against Union, where Karl remained pretty pale

Gnabry can be relied upon, and he already stood in well for Musiala in Bayern’s attacking midfield at the start of the season. Kompany will probably rely on Serge Gnabry in this form even more often in the decisive games of the season

2. Bayern’s stream of talent is not drying up

In the last match against Atalanta Bergamo, Kompany helped two Bayern talents make their professional debuts on the big stage: Deniz Ofli and Filip Pavic made their first appearances for FC Bayern’s first team

Kompany pulled the next new name out of the hat against Union: in the 87th minute, he substituted 16-year-old Erblin Osmani for Leon Goretzka, the defensive midfielder from Bayern’s youth academy making his first professional appearance at the Allianz Arena

Obviously, the flow of talent from the campus to the pros is simply not drying up at the moment. Osmani was the eleventh debutant this season to be given a chance in the first team by Kompany

This is above all a sign to the other talents who are working on their future in professional soccer at the Campus: the door to the pros is open, you can make it

Aleksandar Pavlovic and Lennart Karl have shown that it is possible to go further

As important as Kompany and the Bayern management now consider the door to the pros to be, Osmani will probably not be the last debutant

3. Pavlovic is a worry for Bayern

The development of Aleksandar Pavlovic makes Bayern proud, but the 21-year-old is currently a cause for concern

Pavlovic was surprisingly left out of the squad against Union due to hip problems

Kompany pointed out the recent heavy workload for Pavlovic: „We’ve tried everything, but when the games come so quickly, it’s not so easy,“ he said on Sky before the game

photo: IMAGO

After the game, Kompany left it open as to whether Pavlovic will be able to travel to the national team at all: „I will speak to Julian [Nagelsmann] again. We are always in close contact. There is no big difference between the national team’s wishes and ours. They have two friendlies and want to keep the players fit for the World Cup. That is also our goal. We will speak to the doctors and then make the right decision.“

Bayern want to act cautiously, as there is too much fear that stars could be injured during the international break and thus miss the clash with Real Madrid or be injured – or even in the important games afterwards

This is exactly what Munich experienced a year ago, when Dayot Upamecano and Alphonso Davies were injured and Manuel Neuer, Hiroki Ito, Pavlovic, Jamal Musiala and Kingsley Coman also missed the quarter-final against Inter Milan

Those responsible want to avoid a similar scenario this time, and they will certainly not take any risks with Pavlovic.