RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Kompany provides squad update ahead of Bayern's Bundesliga opener against Stuttgart
The 2026/27 Bundesliga season kicks off on Friday night, with reigning champions Bayern Munich hosting VfB Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena at 20:30 CEST.
Ahead of the game, it has been reported that Jamal Musiala will not be available for Bayern, with the German champions taking a cautious approach with the 23-year-old following two recent collapses caused by absence seizures linked to a neurological dysfunction.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany provided a positive update on Musiala on Friday, but confirmed that the Germany international will not be involved against Stuttgart.
“Basically, Jamal's doing pretty well. He’ll take part in team training today. He won’t be in the squad tomorrow. He’s getting used to the increased dosage of medication. He will return to the squad at some point and we’ll make the decision in close consultation with the experts. He’s doing well," said Kompany.
Kompany also confirmed that 18-year-old Lennart Karl will return to the squad after recovering from the injury he picked up just before Germany's World Cup campaign.
Meanwhile, new signing Ismael Saibari is making good progress towards full fitness after working his way back from an injury.
“Lennart Karl is back in the squad; we’ll have to wait and see just how big a role he can play. Ismael Saibari is making very good progress; we’ll see whether he’s ready to start. We’ve got so many matches coming up in the next few weeks; we’ll decide after today’s training session – he’s not far off playing his first 90 minutes," said Kompany.
As an alternative to Saibari, Kompany could opt to field another new signing, Nathaniel Brown, in the central attacking midfield role, just as he did in last weekend's 2-1 DFL-Supercup win over Borussia Dortmund. The natural left-back impressed in an advanced position and capped his performance with a goal.
“You’ve watched the games where Raphaël Guerreiro has also played in the number 10 role at times. The number 10 position and the full-back position have a lot in common for us when it comes to attacking. That’s why it’s not unusual for Konrad Laimer, Rapha Guerreiro or even Nene Brown to play there," Kompany said when asked about the possibility of Brown taking on a similar role on Friday.
"He also played there in the youth teams. He’s slated to play as a full-back, but he can play in a whole host of other positions. The same applies to Konrad Laimer. We’ve got a strong squad; sometimes it’s better to have a few players who can play in multiple positions than to have more players in the squad.”
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