FC Bayern has made minor adjustments to its roster this summer. Bara Sapoko Ndiaye has been signed permanently and is considered a promising young player, while Ismael Saibari and Nathaniel Brown are expected to strengthen the team immediately. One expert, however, does not view the roster as exceptional.
That may come as a surprise at first glance. After all, Bayern has managed to make targeted improvements to a squad that nearly reached the Champions League final last season.
Bayern now has more flexibility and can therefore better cope with injuries and give key players a rest more often. And there’s still plenty of talent coming up through the youth ranks.
Expert reveals: What Bayern’s roster is missing
On Sport1’s “Doppelpass,” Florian Plettenberg, a journalist at Sky, said that while he considers Bayern’s roster to be good, it’s missing something. “The Bayern team is good, but not exceptionally good in my opinion, because I think they’re missing a midfielder who is capable—like Rodri or other players of that type—of leading Bayern to the Champions League final.”
According to Plettenberg, what’s missing is a truly dominant figure in midfield. A player who pulls the strings and leads the way. Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic are a solid pairing in the center, but according to the expert, they lack that certain something. Tom Bischof is the backup for this position and, just like Pavlovic, still has a lot to learn.
Bara Sapoko Ndiaye, Konrad Laimer, and Nathaniel Brown can also be deployed deep in the center. However, none of these players has the aura or flair of a Rodri or Vitinha. And especially against PSG—a team that places great emphasis on a strong midfield—Bayern struggled in the Champions League. Perhaps this will be addressed in the coming season, or perhaps not. That will depend primarily on the performances of the Bayern players.