Benjamin Pavard
Bayern spent heavily last summer to improve their defense. Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez were bought for huge fees, as Die Roten looked to build the defensive core from scratch. However, things have not gone the way Bayern would have hoped.
Niklas Sule suffered a serious knee injury in October, ruling him out for more than six months. Hernandez has struggled with injuries throughout the campaign, limiting his chances of getting a long run in the team. Meanwhile, Pavard has not got enough playing time in his favoured position.
Though he has not played in central defense, Pavard has done a more than competent job in the right-back position. The French defender has not been extraordinary in the role, but he has managed to deliver a 7/10 performance every weekend. Barring an odd game here and there, Pavard has hardly dropped a poor performance.
The Frenchman also deserves plaudits for improving his game in the final third. Joshua Kimmich has been an assist machine from the right-back position for the past two years, so it is not easy to replace him. Pavard has only five assists to his name across all competitions, but he continues to improve as a right-back with every passing game. He deserves credit for stepping up in a crucial position when the team was going through an injury crisis. (Stats Courtesy: Whoscored)