Comeback in February: battered Bayern duo makes progress | OneFootball

FC Bayern have made a dream start to the second half of the season in sporting terms, but the situation remains tense in terms of personnel. The situation is getting worse at right-back in particular. In the 5-1 win against RB Leipzig, Tom Bischof had to help out in a position he is not used to – a clear sign of how thin the staffing levels in defence currently are. With a view to the upcoming Champions League match against Union Saint-Gilloise, coach Vincent Kompany has little choice but to get creative again

On Monday morning, Konrad Laimer and Josip Stanisic worked separately from the team on their comeback. Both defensive specialists completed individual sessions on the bike and treadmill in order to return step by step after their injuries. According to Sky, both have already made „initial small progress in their rehab.“

Laimer is suffering from a torn muscle fibre, Stanisic is fighting his way back from an ankle injury. Sacha Boey is also still in recovery training after his persistent stomach bug and is still unavailable

As reported by tz, Laimer and Stanisic were visited by head coach Vincent Kompany during their training session. The Belgian spent around ten minutes with his injured players – a sign of appreciation, but also of the current urgency. Both should be an option for match action again in February

Right-back remains a problem area

photo: IMAGO

The consequence: Kompany must continue to improvise. Against Leipzig, the choice fell on Tom Bischof, who has so far shown his strengths primarily in central midfield. On the right side of defence, however, the youngster revealed difficulties, which did not defuse the already tense situation. For the game against Saint-Gilloise, it is therefore likely that Joshua Kimmich will again have to help out on the right side – a role he is already familiar with both at FC Bayern and in the national team

Kompany had already hinted at this flexibility. „Everything is an option. Anyone can be called upon to help out in another position,“ explained the Bayern coach. The statement fits in with the current situation, in which ideal line-ups are less in demand than functioning solutions. The fact that Bischof did not deliver a letter of application for the right-back position in Leipzig is likely to further influence Kompany’s considerations

Relaxation at left back

While worries are mounting on the right, the situation on the left-hand side of defence is gradually easing. Hiroki Ito has been stable of late and is considered a prime candidate for the starting eleven for the Champions League match. Alphonso Davies is also ready for action again. The Canadian, who had to take a break with a cold after recovering from a cruciate ligament rupture, celebrated his comeback in Leipzig and gives Kompany additional options

This development comes at an important time. With a win in the last home game of the league phase against Union Saint-Gilloise, Bayern could already secure their ticket to the round of 16 and avoid the energy-sapping play-offs. The focus is therefore all the greater on compensating for the personnel shortages as far as possible

FC Bayern are therefore faced with a familiar but tricky task: maximum performance despite limited options. The fact that Kompany himself personally accompanies injured players in the rehabilitation process underlines the cohesion within the team. In the short term, however, it remains clear that improvisation will continue on the right-hand side of defence – in the hope that Laimer, Stanisic and Boey will soon be back in full attack.