Bayern Munich: Niklas Sule has a chance to get sustained run in starting XI
Bayern Munich was all over the place defensively for a good part of the first half against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. However, there was a significant improvement in the back four after the team went two goals down against archrivals. Niklas Sule also showed drastic improvement as the game progressed against Dortmund.
Sule showed great composure on the ball when the team was patiently moving the ball to break down Dortmund’s stubborn defense in the second half. The German defender also played incisive passes in the final third throughout the game. A promising performance for him, but this game also presented him an opportunity to get a long run in the team.
Boateng’s injury opens-up space in central defense
Benjamin Pavard returned to training last week after being out for two weeks due to coronavirus. The French defender was in good form before the break, so he is likely to slot straight away in the right-back position for Die Roten.
Despite Pavard’s return, Sule can still feature regularly next few weeks due to Jerome Boateng’s injury. The veteran defender limped off against Dortmund in the second half. The injury is reportedly not serious, but he is likely to be out for few weeks.
Boateng’s absence allows Sule to play in central defense since Hansi Flick prefers right and left foot central defensive pairing. Since Alaba is certain to start all games, Sule is the only right-footed central defender. After gaining confidence in the last couple of weeks, Sule is set to play in his preferred position during the next few weeks.
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Performances in next few weeks may decide Sule’s future
There has been a lot of speculation around the long-term future of Sule in Bavaria. He will enter the last 12 months of his current deal. Chelsea has been heavily linked with Sule regarding a summer move, while some German reports also insisted that the 25-year-old defender dreams about a move to Manchester United in his career.
A good end to the season may force Die Roten’s hand to secure his future. The next couple of months will be very crucial for Sule’s long-term future in Bavaria. In such a situation, getting a consistent run in the team would benefit him to deliver consistent performances.
Sule could also sort Bayern’s transfer headache
Absence of Pavard and poor form of Sarr forced Flick to deploy Sule in the right-back position. This experiment yielded mixed results in the last five games. However, Sule had been more than competitive since the aberration against Eintracht Frankfurt two weeks ago.
The right-back position remains a concern for Flick since Sarr has not kicked on since joining the club last summer. The German club has been linked with multiple right-backs, but they can’t spend big on a position that they addressed last summer. Sule can provide the solution to this problem if he continues to improve in this role. It will not be a surprise if Niklas Sule gets few more games in this role in the next couple of months to see whether he can address Die Roten’s transfer headache.
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All these three reasons do hint that there is a strong possibility of seeing Niklas Sule getting a good run of games in the next couple of months that will help the German Champions to make vital decisions. He has delivered big performances throughout his time in Bavaria, but the next long run in the team is going to be very decisive for him and Bayern.