This is a great motivation for Bayern Munich. If Kimmich is able to play, he allows Thomas Tuchel to change his game plan very little, which again, is not necessarily an advantage.
Joshua Kimmich with the whole team on the training field before tomorrow’s match against Leverkusen [@linner_nicolas]
— Bayern and Germany (@iMiaSanMia) September 14, 2023
The international break is over and Bayern Munich will soon return to action with a match against top team Bayer Leverkusen. Since taking over at the end of last season, Xabi Alonso has shown he is a real rising star in the coaching world: his presence has transformed Die Werkself into a team considered by many to be a contender. Real contenders for the championship. Ironically, perhaps Tuchel has Xabi to thank for his current coaching job. After all, it was Leverkusen’s victory over Bayern in March that (partly) led to the sacking of Julian Nagelsmann and the chaos that followed. If Tuchel does not want to follow his predecessor’s path, he will need to ensure his team is ready for the challenge.
Team news
There is some really worrying news from Säbener Straße: Joshua Kimmich, who missed Germany’s match with France due to muscle problems, is also unavailable for this match. Without more real replacements in defensive midfield, it is difficult to see how Tuchel will compensate for the loss of his only number 6. Jamal Musiala is also not 100% recovered and there are still question marks about Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s availability. Manuel Neuer also had difficulty recovering, suffered calf pain and was forced to return to simple running.
That’s all we know for now. With the available names, Tuchel does not have many options when choosing his team. He will almost certainly go with Harry Kane up front with Thomas Müller at the back, flanked by the in-form Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sané. According to the kicker (via @iMiaSanMia) Konrad Laimer will replace Joshua Kimmich in midfield, so we could see a Laimer-Goretzka pivot. This is a bit worrying, as Goretzka and Laimer are similar in many ways and do not provide the control in midfield that Kimmich does. When asked if Matthijs de Ligt could be the choice for the No. 6 role after being substituted against Gladbach, Tuchel dismissed the idea but said every player needs to be flexible.
In defense, Alphonso Davies and Noussair Mazraoui are expected to start at left and right back respectively, alongside centre-back duo Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upamecano. However, Upamecano missed France’s match against Germany so if he is ruled out of the Leverkusen match, you can expect MDL to be involved. Meanwhile, Sven Ulreich will have a new start as goalkeeper.
