Bayern Munich and Germany star Serge Gnabry had as tough a season in 2023/24 as he has ever had in his career. Injuries hampered his ability to get into the squad — he finished with 10 Bundesliga appearances with just five starts — and out of the running for a spot in Julian Nagelsmann’s EURO 2024 roster.
But Gnabry never let go of his self-belief and has worked his way back into this new-look Bayern team, led this year by Vincent Kompany.
“Last year felt like a lost year,” the 29-year-old winger explained in an interview with club magazine Säbener 51 (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “Of course, I had hoped to play a lot, to make a big impact at Bayern and with the national team. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible. At first, the disappointment is huge, but then it’s all about willpower and work ethic. There are better things than rehab training when you can see the lads out on the pitch playing every day. That also hurts sometimes. And whenever I came back, whenever things had just started to go well again, there was always the next setback. It was a totally negative streak. But I fought through it, time and time again.
“I’ve never had any self-doubt. I’ve always done everything I could to get fit. But there are also things that you can’t control 100%.”
Far from the forgotten man, Gnabry is now a regular feature in Kompany’s Bayern XI and of all of the squad’s veterans at the position — a group which includes Leroy Sané and Kingsley Coman — looks to have the most secure position.
What a difference a year makes.
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