Manuel Neuer will miss FC Bayern’s classic match against Borussia Dortmund. The captain is still struggling with pain in his foot. Aaron Danks confirmed this at the pre-game press conference.
FC Bayern will still have to do without Vincent Kompany in the classic match against Borussia Dortmund. The head coach is still in the recovery phase following his health scare. As sporting director Max Eberl recently made clear, his recovery is the top priority. That’s why assistant coach Aaron Danks once again led the press conference.
On the personnel front, there is bad news, particularly regarding Manuel Neuer. “Unfortunately, it’s still a bit too early for Manuel Neuer; he’s still experiencing pain in his foot. So he’ll take it day by day until next week,” Danks explained.
There is cause for hope, however, regarding Joshua Kimmich. The midfielder had recently been absent for family reasons and had so far only been training on his own. Now the next step is imminent. “Joshua Kimmich has been training on his own so far; he’ll train with the team for the first time today, and then we’ll talk and see how he handles it,” said Danks.
This means the national team player could return in time for the “Klassiker.” However, a final decision has not yet been made. First, Kimmich must complete his first group training session without any issues.
Aleksandar Pavlovic and Minjae Kim have also moved closer to rejoining the team. Pavlovic already made his comeback on the field in the DFB Cup match against 1. FC Magdeburg. Kim was also back in the squad following his previous physical issues. Both are therefore potential options for the match against Dortmund.
Musiala and Díaz remain sidelined
The situation looks significantly more difficult for Jamal Musiala. The attacking player is still working on his comeback following his injury and has not yet resumed training with the team. A start against Dortmund would therefore be a surprise. Internally, the Bundesliga match in Mainz on November 7 is apparently seen as the target date for his return.
Luis Díaz also remains unavailable to Munich following his muscle tear. However, Harry Kane is expected to return to the starting lineup against BVB. The World Player of the Year was deliberately rested during the cup match against Magdeburg, in part to conserve his energy for the classic derby.
The personnel situation thus remains tense. While Pavlovic and Kim are available again and Kimmich can hope to return, several players—including Neuer, Musiala, and Díaz—are at risk of missing the match. The coming days of training will show what lineup Danks can field to take on the challenge against Dortmund.