Other regular players are out
“Decimated” Bayern Munich challenges Tuchel
5/5/2023, 4:38 p.m
League leaders Bayern Munich start weakened in the tight end of the season. The game at Werder Bremen will be “very tight in terms of personnel,” said coach Thomas Tuchel. Two other regular players are not available. A new opportunity presents itself to a frustrated talent.
In the final sprint for the German soccer championship, coach Thomas Tuchel plans to start Bayern Munich with Ryan Gravenberch. The 20-year-old Dutchman is due on Saturday night (6.30 p.m./Sky and in the live ticker at ntv.de) replace the suspended national player Leon Goretzka in defensive midfield in the away game against Werder Bremen. “That’s obvious. I liked it and it’s out of my hands,” said Tuchel. Gravenberch came on as a substitute in the win against Hertha BSC and drove the German record champions to victory alongside Joshua Kimmich.
Ryan Gravenberch has joined FC Bayern’s starting XI.
(Photo: IMAGO/Lackovic)
For Gravenberch, who switched from Ajax Amsterdam to Munich for around 18.5 million euros in the summer, it would be the fifth appearance in the starting line-up. The midfielder, who has a contract until 2027, had repeatedly complained about a lack of playing time. “I definitely hoped and also expected that I would play more at Bayern Munich. So far it hasn’t worked out as expected,” he told the “Ajax Showtime” portal in mid-April. “It’s a shame for me, but I’m dealing with it well. I’ve actually never had a setback in my career until this season.”
Apart from the suspended Goretzka, the Bayern coach has to do without several injured players – a challenge. The squad was “rather decimated”, known Tuchel. Defender Josip Stanisic is a new addition to the list of absentees, who has to pause for around two weeks due to a torn muscle fibre. Dayot Upamecano may be on the way back and in running practice, but it’s too soon to play. Manuel Neuer, Lucas Hernández, Alphonso Davies and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who have been missing recently or for a long time, also have to watch.
Does Thomas Müller move into the top storm?
With striker Choupo-Moting, it feels like the return is a matter of days, said Tuchel. But that is by no means certain. However, he left open who will replace Choupo-Moting in attack. As an option, he named veteran Thomas Müller, who was last on the bench.
The fact that Bayern can play in a duel with Borussia Dortmund, which only plays against Wolfsburg on Sunday, is “more pleasant and an advantage for Tuchel – but you have to do it. We can no longer afford any big ups and downs for our own claim ” he stressed. From a purely statistical point of view, there can only be one winner on Saturday: since a 2-5 draw in September 2008, Bayern have won 26 games against Bremen with four draws (94-20 goal difference). In addition, the Munich team won the last 13 games at Werder. It is the longest series in German professional football.
In the close fight for the title, almost everything points to FC Bayern: if Bayern were top of the table after matchday 30, they were champions in 28 of the 29 cases so far. The exception: in 1992/93 Bayern were intercepted – by Werder Bremen.