When Ottmar Hitzfeld once named Mark van Bommel the „Aggressive Leader“, it was more than just a nickname. It was a seal of quality for mentality, uncompromisingness and a winning gene. Van Bommel stood for toughness, attitude and the willingness to test boundaries – in the service of the team. For a long time, FC Bayern lacked precisely this type of player in the center
The record champions now seem to have found a successor in Aleksandar Pavlovic
In the 2-0 DFB Cup win against RB Leipzig, the 21-year-old provided perhaps the clearest evidence of his development. When Jamal Musiala was pushed to the ground in the 70th minute, Pavlovic did not hesitate for long. He immediately intervened, seeking a confrontation with Nicolas Seiwald and Castello Lukeba, which led to verbal sparring and shoving. The yellow card was the logical consequence. Joshua Kimmich had to intervene to calm him down and prevent anything worse from happening
But this scene is emblematic of the new Pavlovic: he takes responsibility – both athletically and emotionally
From passer to driving force
Under Vincent Kompany, the home-grown player has not only developed into a regular, but also a control center in midfield. Pavlovic dictates the tempo, demands balls and distributes them with impressive calm. His passing ability and overview of the game were noticeable early on
„Offensively, he’s always made a difference, but he’s also made a lot of strides in defence. His ball recovery rate is very good. He knows how he can have an impact for the team in defence. The youngster has developed well, is one of our youngsters and shows how it can be done,“ praised Kompany
Pavlovic now combines both: technical cleanliness and emotional power. He is not a loudspeaker like van Bommel, but his body language is clear. He challenges teammates, seeks out duels and does not shy away from conflict
Sporting director Christoph Freund is also enthusiastic: „He is still very young, but it is a special gift that he is so self-confident. He has improved even more and works very hard. It is fun with him and it is nice when someone from our own youth team establishes himself like this.“
Pavlovic is growing into a leadership role alongside Joshua Kimmich. The campus player has long been more than just a talent. He is a driving force, pace-setter – and increasingly an emotional fixture
FC Bayern once again has a player in the center who not only plays soccer, but also embodies attitude. One who is prepared to stand up for his teammates. A new „aggressive leader“.