Injury woes continue to plague FC Bayern. The Munich team is currently without several key players, particularly on offense. Serge Gnabry is once again unavailable to the German record champions. The national team player’s ongoing physical problems are now sparking discussions about his athletic future.
BILD soccer editor Christian Falk is now questioning whether the forward’s contract should be extended. On the “Bayern Insider” podcast, the transfer expert expressed skepticism about Munich’s decision to commit to Gnabry long-term.
The backdrop to this is the 31-year-old’s latest injury. While Bayern hopes the tense personnel situation will ease soon, they apparently still need to be patient with Gnabry. According to BILD, the forward is expected to be sidelined at least until the winter break.
“Gnabry? That’s a never-ending story.”
For Falk, this latest forced break is a reason to take a critical look at the management’s personnel decisions. The recurring injuries, in particular, are a cause for concern for BILD’s soccer editor. “Gnabry? It’s been an ongoing saga. You have to ask yourself: Hey, was extending his contract really such a smart move after all?” Falk explained in the podcast.
The Bayern expert sees a recurring pattern here. Gnabry had impressed on the field before his contract extension, but now has to sit out again due to injury. “Now it’s exactly the same as before,” Falk criticized, alluding to the offensive player’s susceptibility to injury.
Injury woes exacerbate Bayern’s roster problems
In addition to Gnabry, other key offensive players are currently sidelined. Jamal Musiala and Luis Díaz will apparently also have to wait longer than originally hoped for their comebacks. Ismael Saibari will also be out for an extended period following his serious injury.
This inevitably puts the Munich club’s squad planning in the spotlight. Falk sees the lack of depth as a particular problem. In the podcast, he pointed to the Champions League-winning teams of 2013 and 2020, which had significantly more high-caliber alternatives at their disposal.
While his BILD colleague Julian Agardi warns against costly winter transfers, Falk argues in favor of at least seriously considering potential reinforcements. After all, there is by no means a guarantee that all injured players will immediately return to top form upon their return.