Josip Stanisic has long been an integral part of FC Bayern. The Croatian is reliable, versatile, and has known the club since his youth. Ahead of the new season, however, one crucial question remains: Will the 26-year-old make the leap from valuable all-rounder to undisputed starter?
Stanisic has been wearing the Bayern jersey since 2017. Back then, he moved from the youth academy of SC Fürstenfeldbruck to the U17 team of Germany’s record champion. Unlike many other young talents, he subsequently made his way through the academy to the first team without spending time on multiple loan spells.
Only during the 2023–24 season did Stanisic gain experience outside of Munich. His loan to Bayer Leverkusen turned out to be a huge success. With the Werkself, the Croatian international won the German championship and the DFB Cup, definitively establishing himself at the highest level.
Stanisic has now made 88 Bundesliga appearances and directly contributed to 13 goals. At 26, he is also at an age where he could take the next step in his career.
Stanisic offers Kompany numerous possibilities
His greatest strength is undoubtedly his versatility. Stanisic can play as both a right and left fullback, fill in at center back, and cover multiple positions in a back three.
This is particularly valuable for Vincent Kompany. The Belgian demands tactical flexibility from his defenders and, at times, relies on aggressive man-to-man marking across large areas of the field. Stanisic possesses the understanding of the game needed to execute these tactics.
Defensively, the Croatian is reliable and strong in one-on-one situations. In the attacking third, however, he sometimes lacks the dynamism and penetrating power of more offensively oriented fullbacks like Alphonso Davies or Nathaniel Brown. In return, Stanisic ensures defensive balance with his positioning.
Added to this is his attitude. The 35-time Croatian international is not the type of player who immediately causes a stir on the bench during certain games. For a coach, a player like this is worth his weight in gold.
However, it is precisely this versatility that could prevent Stanisic from securing a permanent starting spot.
Fierce competition for a starting spot
In central defense, Jonathan Tah and Dayot Upamecano are the starters for now. Minjae Kim is also available as an experienced alternative. On the left side, competition has intensified further with the signing of Nathaniel Brown, especially since Alphonso Davies will be vying for a spot again after his return.
That leaves the right side of the defense as the main option. There, however, Stanisic faces competition from Konrad Laimer. The Austrian impressed last season and has signed a long-term contract extension with the record champions.
For Stanisic, this could mean he’ll once again find himself in the role that has defined him in recent years: he’s there when he’s needed—regardless of position or situation.
That’s a luxury for FC Bayern. For Stanisic himself, however, the question arises as to whether this role will be enough for him in the long run.
After all, at 26, the Croatian is in the prime of his soccer career. The next logical step in his development would be a permanent starting spot. To achieve that, however, he’ll have to hold his own against top-tier competition.
Perhaps, in the end, Stanisic’s greatest value to Bayern lies precisely in the fact that he cannot be pinned down to a single position. Kompany can deploy him almost anywhere in the defense. Whether this versatile player will nevertheless become an undisputed starter is likely to be one of the more interesting personnel questions of the new season.