Josip Stanisic is not a loudspeaker at FC Bayern, but he has long been a factor. With consistent performances and clear words, the defensive all-rounder is confidently staking his claim in the increasingly fierce competition
Stanisic has been something of a quiet constant at FC Bayern this season. Not a player seeking headlines, not a professional publicly making claims or threatening unrest. And yet the 25-year-old is one of the most reliable players of the season so far. Across all competitions, Stanisic has already made 18 competitive appearances in the 2025/26 season – more than ever before at this point in a Bayern season
Whether at right-back, on the left or in central defense: Stanisic is needed – and delivers. It is precisely this versatility that has secured him a permanent place in Vincent Kompany’s rotation for months. At the same time, however, it also harbors a danger that is well known at FC Bayern: those who can do everything are often not fixed anywhere
Returning players exacerbate the situation in defense
Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito are two players who have recently returned, further fuelling the competition in the Bayern defence. They are joined by established players such as Dayot Upamecano, Minjae Kim and Konrad Laimer, who is also deployed flexibly. As a result, the places in the back four are coveted and the playing time fiercely contested
Stanisic does not have a classic regular place that he can defend. While other players are clearly assigned to one position, the Croatian remains the flexible problem solver. This raises the question of whether this role could become a disadvantage for him in the long term – for example, when all the defensive players are fit and Kompany can field his preferred eleven
But Stanisic himself is facing this situation with remarkable clarity and calm. After the convincing 4:0 away win at 1. FC Heidenheim, he found clear words: „I don’t really care, I just want to play,“ he is quoted as saying by tz. A statement that reveals a lot about his attitude – and little about insecurity
Stanisic focuses on performance instead of status
Stanisic is also sober and realistic about the competition. „Of course we know at Bayern Munich that the competition is fierce,“ he continued. For him, this is not a burden, but part of the self-image at the record champions. Everyone has to step on the gas as soon as they are on the pitch. According to Stanisic, this is exactly what will help the team in the decisive phases of the season
This attitude suits a player who has never earned his place at FC Bayern through status or promises, but through performance. Stanisic confirmed this impression impressively in his performance in Heidenheim. He was defensively stable on the right-hand side of defence, hardly allowed anything to happen and even made an exclamation mark offensively with his second goal of the season
For Kompany, Stanisic is a player he can rely on at all times – regardless of the system or opponent. In a season in which FC Bayern is dancing at several different levels, such professionals are worth their weight in gold. They provide stability without blocking demands or causing unrest.