FC Bayern Munich is playing away against SC Freiburg today. Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m., and it’s a top-tier match in the Bundesliga. And Bayern is traveling with some personnel concerns.
Among others, head coach Vincent Kompany is out. The Belgian was taken by ambulance to a hospital on Friday; diagnostic tests are underway. He will be unavailable to FCB for an extended period.
However, numerous players are also out. Manuel Neuer, Minjae Kim, Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlović, Jamal Musiala, and Luis Diaz are all unavailable. This presented assistant head coach Aaron Danks with a real lineup puzzle. It was already becoming clear that Bayern would field a sort of “emergency starting XI.”
Here’s how Bayern will line up against SC Freiburg
It was clear that Jonas Urbig would be in goal. He had already filled in for Neuer in recent weeks when the latter was out, and did an excellent job.
Otherwise, however, there were many question marks. Would Konrad Laimer be moved into midfield alongside Tom Bischof, would Nathaniel Brown play there, or would Bayern even go with the young Bara Sapoko Ndiaye? Alphonso Davies’s position was also unclear. Against Arsenal, he played on the left wing, but he’s naturally also an option at left back. Furthermore, the number 10 position was up for grabs, with several possibilities for Bayern there as well.
The lineup is now clear. The coaching staff has named the starting eleven. In front of Urbig, Josip Stanišić and Nathaniel Brown are expected to play at the fullback positions, with Konrad Laimer partnering Tom Bischof in central midfield. Theoretically, it’s also possible that Brown could play in midfield. Behind Harry Kane, who starts up front, Lennart Karl, Michael Olise, and Serge Gnabry will play.
The lineup at a glance
Urbig – Stanisic, Upamecano, Tah, Brown – Laimer, Bischof – Olise, Gnabry, Karl – Kane
