Bayern Munich star Leroy Sané has been a mainstay in the German national team’s lineup for years now, but is that time as an unquestioned starter coming to an end?
Maybe.
Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann will have some difficult decisions to make across the board, but his attacking group is really where things could come together….or completely fall apart.
With Nagelsmann seemingly set on playing İlkay Gündoğan as the team’s No. 10, both Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala have been displaced from a potential starting role at their preferred position.
That creates quite the conundrum if Nagelsmann is going to use a lineup that features four attackers. With just three spots left, Nagelsmann has Sané, Wirtz, Musiala, Niclas Füllkrug, Kai Havertz, Chris Führich, Thomas Müller, Deniz Undav, and Maximilian Beier all battling for three spots.
Immediately, you can cross Führich (bench role), Müller (bench role), Undav (bench role), and Beier (bench role or even dropped as Nagelsmann still has one player too many) off the list, but that still leaves five players vying for three spots.
It can be assumed that either Füllkrug or Havertz will start in a striker role, which then leaves Sané, Wirtz, and Musiala to battle it out for two spots. During Nagelsmann previous games at the helm of Germany, using Wirtz and Musiala as wide attackers, which was extremely effective and appeared to be the way to go for Die Mannschaft.
However, Nagelsmann’s resolve for doing what might be best for the team vs. what he wants to do could be tested. The ability to use Musiala and Wirtz came to be because of a red card suspension to Sané (which will also keep him out of Monday’s friendly vs. Ukraine) and looked like it might prove to be the best pathway forward for Germany’s attack.
Will Nagelsmann put Sané — one of his favorite players while coaching at Bayern Munich — on the bench?
Wirtz is coming off a season where some outlets named him Bundesliga Player of the Season and also one where he emerged as a breakout star in Europe. While Musiala’s performances were a bit more up-and-down, he still offers a dangerous blend of creativity on the ball and one-v-one attacking skills that could prove to be valuable to Germany.
Meanwhile, Sané got off to a torrid start this season before fading thanks to a dip in form and bouts with both fatigue and injury.
Would Nagelsmann really put Sané on the bench? We will soon find out.
Poll
What player combination will lead Germany’s three player attack (assuming Gündoğan is the No. 10) when EUROs start?
-
0%
Füllkrug, Wirtz, Musiala
(0 votes)
-
0%
Füllkrug, Wirtz, Sané
(0 votes)
-
0%
Füllkrug, Musiala, Sané
(0 votes)
-
0%
Havertz, Wirtz, Musiala
(0 votes)
-
0%
Havertz, Wirtz, Sané
(0 votes)
-
0%
Havertz, Musiala, Sané
(0 votes)
-
0%
Another combination (drop it in the comments)
(0 votes)
0 votes total
Vote Now
Bavarian Podcast Works — Weekend Warm-up Show: Season 3, Episode 46
Bayern Munich officially hired Vincent Kompany to lead the club into a new era.
Just how long that era lasts remains to be seen, but the new coach will have his work cut out for him as he will need to navigate a few different tasks aside of just establishing himself as a manager.
Kompany will not only have to figure out how to get the best out of his current roster, but also will have to help identify new players, which current players need to go, how to win trophies, and do it all without wilting under the spotlight of being a head coach in Bavaria.
There is a ton to discuss, so let’s get to it. This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Weekend Warm-up Podcast:
- Examining the insane story regarding Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge wanting Hansi Flick for a year — and Flick agreeing to it — only to get overruled by Max Eberl and Christoph Freund.
- Kompany, Eberl, and Freund want a squad overhaul. Specifically, Bayern Munich wants to unload six players with big salaries, but who? Let’s take a look at the possibilities. Is it really necessary? We don’t think so! Let’s discuss it!
- Some thoughts on Germany’s camp (so far).
- Transfer comings and goings — and why Bayern Munich could be serving itself a recipe for disaster.
Kompany knows not everyone was onboard with his hiring
Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany was a shocking hire for the Bavarians and one that might have put the front office personnel at odds. Max Eberl and Christoph Freund fully backed and endorsed the hiring, while the old guard of Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge would have preferred to see Hansi Flick return to the club.
Kompany understands the division of opinion and wants to prove that he deserves the faith shown by Eberl and Freund.
“I spoke to Uli Hoeneß. I also know from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge that I am not only the decision of Max and Christoph, but also of Uli and Karl-Heinz. For me it is not so important that everyone is convinced of me beforehand – but afterwards by my work on the pitch. I’m sure that they will be satisfied with my work,” Kompany noted (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
Entertainment Rundown
Shogun
Well, I started it (finally)!
Just two episodes in and I am enjoying it, but here are some quick hitters on my initial thoughts:
- Obviously, the opening scenes are ones that really capture your mind and set the tone for the story.
- Through the first two episodes, it is a slow burn with a lot of information and character background being throw at you. Some folks do not like this kind of slow build up, but getting a lot of information on the history of what is going on, the conflicts, the personalities, etc. is always valuable.
- The storyline, itself, appears to be going down a road that I will enjoy, but there seems to be a lot of moving parts with the plot that will have to start to come together.
- The acting — so far — has been very good, though, Cosmo Jarvis’ character, John Blackthorne, is a little over the top (at least at the moment).
- Overall, the first two episodes set a very good stage for what looks like an intriguing story. I look forward to plowing through quite a few episodes late night this weekend.
Song of the Week: “Banditos” by The Refreshments
As you know, I’ve been down the 90s rabbit hole of late and I stumbled across this tune, which was out of my memory for many years (damn, I am getting old!).
Released in 1995, grunge was starting its gradual fade, while pop punk started to become part of the alt rock culture. This song towed the line between pop punk and cowpunk, but did receive some really solid airplay in Philadelphia for a few years after its release.
Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your taste), the song disappeared from my landscape for quite a while before I ventured into the realm of lost 90s music. Enjoy:
Bavarian Podcast Works — Flagship Show: Season 6, Episode 47
The 2023/24 Bundesliga season concluded with VfL Bochum’s remarkable comeback against Fortuna Düsseldorf in the relegation playoff. Inspired by this, we at BFW decided to review a season that — to Bayern Munich fans’ displeasure -featured record-breaking moments, unimaginable Cinderella stories, and disappointing performances from star players and coaches.
In this flagship episode, hosted by Marcus Iredahl, we’ll delve into the top three ‘overachievers’ and ‘underachievers’ of the season. We’ll discuss the players, coaches, and teams who either exceeded expectations or fell short, hopefully sparking lively discussions in the comments section!
In this podcast episode, we’ll cover the following topics and more:
- Is Thomas Tuchel the biggest underachiever of this season?
- Should Bayern fans be worried about Christoph Freund’s abilities?
- The incredible Cinderella story of FC Heidenheim – a dream for football romantics!
- Marcus’ pick for ‘Player of the Season.’ Who would you choose?
Tuchel not satisfied with Bayern tenure
Thomas Tuchel went a woeful one for seven on trophies during his time with Bayern Munich and when asked if he was dissatisfied with his time at the club, the coach was honest.
“Yes, absolutely. But I would have preferred to celebrate a league title where I was the coach the whole season. But, of course, it counts and we’ll take it. I was very self-critical and came here to compete and win all titles. We didn’t succeed in that and that’s why I’m not happy with it,” Tuchel told Ransport’s Martin Volkmar (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).