Jamal Musiala is about to make his comeback – and with him returns a difference-maker who will change the Bayern offense. While fans fear for the playing time of shooting star Lennart Karl, the club management has full confidence in Vincent Kompany
After more than five months out of action, Jamal Musiala is about to return to FC Bayern. The 22-year-old took part in team training for the first time this week and should be an option for Vincent Kompany again at the start of the second half of the season in January. This is excellent news for Munich in sporting terms – but it also marks the start of a new discussion about the record champions‘ attack
Without Musiala, Bayern have developed with astonishing stability and variety. The attack in particular is currently functioning almost seamlessly. New signing Luis Díaz has made an immediate impact with his dynamism and goal threat and has already scored 19 direct goals in 21 competitive games. Serge Gnabry has regained his old strength after difficult phases and consistently delivers scoring points. Harry Kane is the focal point in attack anyway, while Michael Olise proves his class week after week
Karl in focus: Will the shooting star become a loser?
Lennart Karl is at the center of the debate. The 17-year-old has exploited the injury-related gap like no other talent in recent years. With courage, self-confidence and impressive maturity, he not only played his way into the rotation, but even into the starting eleven at times. Goals, assists and strong performances in the Champions League made him a fan favourite within a very short space of time
With the return of Musiala, however, the competition is now noticeably tougher. Both prefer to play in similar areas, both thrive on dribbling, pace and creativity. Many observers therefore fear that Karl could receive less playing time in the second half of the season. Especially at a club like FC Bayern, where results and titles are always the top priority, it seems obvious that an established star like Musiala will initially be given preference
This concern is understandable, but falls short from the club management’s point of view. Internally, Karl continues to be seen as a central building block for the future. His breakthrough did not come by chance, but was the result of trust, courage and performance. This is precisely where CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen’s argument comes in
Dreesen trusts in Kompany’s intuition
Dreesen faces the debate with remarkable composure. He recalls that in late summer there was still regular discussion about a squad that was too thin. At the time, he deliberately pointed out that a lean squad offers great opportunities for talent. Lennart Karl is the best example of this. The youngster has played his way into the team „in an outstanding manner“ and has exceeded even internal expectations with his quality
For Dreesen, one thing is clear: competition is not a problem, but a performance accelerator. „Competition always helps to improve overall performance,“ he emphasized in an interview with Sky. The decisive factor is that the coach finds the right solutions – and this is precisely where the Bayern boss has full confidence in Vincent Kompany. In recent months, the Belgian has proven that he not only integrates young players, but also develops them in a targeted manner without losing sight of the sporting goals
Musiala’s comeback is therefore less of a threat and more of a new dimension for FC Bayern. Munich are gaining depth, variability and unpredictability. For Karl, the path may be rockier – but also more instructive. If you want to assert yourself at FC Bayern in the long term, you have to assert yourself in direct competition. Karl has already shown that he is capable of doing this
In the end, this constellation is likely to be Bayern’s big plus: more quality, more options, more pressure – and a coach who is trusted to steer all of this in the right direction. Musiala is back, and FC Bayern is stronger than ever.