With Leon Goretzka back from injury and Joshua Kimmich expected to be out recovering from covid, Julian Nagelsmann’s midfield options seem flexible heading into Der Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga this weekend
Ryan Gravenberch started alongside Leon Goretzka in FC Bayern’s most recent match, directly contributing to three out of five goals scored against Czech league leaders Viktoria Plzen in the UEFA Champions League. Sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić said ‚they made sure we had a good division of space and we were well positioned defensively. With their offensive qualities, both players like to step up‘
It was surprising when Julian Nagelsmann announced his lineup with two attacking-minded box-to-box midfielders, both stepping up to push forward. He said ‚it’s possible both play at 6, even though they naturally play like 8s‘, before kickoff midweek
For Der Klassiker, Joshua Kimmich will be an undisputed starter provided he returns fit in time. If not, it’s likely Marcel Sabitzer will step in for Ryan Gravenberch, and if Kimmich does return, then Leon Goretzka might also drop to the bench. He ‚felt good in the air today, everything was fine. There shouldn’t be any worries‘ regarding potential lineups for the topspiel this weekend
