Marc Roca pleased with his development at Bayern Munich

During the injury crisis in the midfield department in the final month of Hinrunde, Bayern Munich could bank on one of their fringe players. Marc Roca stepped up during the final few game weeks of 2021 to help Rekordmeister end Hinrunde on a strong note.

Courtesy of praise from Julian Nagelsmann and good performances in December, Roca decided to stay in Bavaria beyond the winter transfer window. The Spaniard was heavily linked with a transfer away from the club during the first half of the season as he struggled for playing time under Nagelsmann.

Things have not changed drastically for Roca as he is yet to get a run in the team since the start of the year. Joshua Kimmich has completely recovered from coronavirus, so he has been brought back in the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Corentin Tolisso is also in fine form, which has eventually limited Roca’s chances in the starting XI.

Despite the lack of playing time in the last 18 months, Roca is pleased with his personal development. During a recent interview with Bayern’s magazine 51, Roca insisted that there has been a significant improvement in him since arriving in Bavaria. The Spaniard believes that he is a much more complete player now than he was 18 months ago.

"“I’m a much more complete player than when I switched. My positional play has improved, my tackles, the way I read the game. In Spain the football was slower, with more interruptions, everything is faster here. It’s more back and forth. I had to adapt at first, but I’m getting along with it very well now.”"

Roca could end up leaving Bavaria next summer if he continues to get limited playing opportunities in the next four months. The Spaniard has hardly put a foot wrong whenever he has got chances this season, so his limited playing time is very unfortunate. However, the quality of other senior central midfielders is extremely high in Bavaria.

Julian Nagelsmann has been very hesitant when it comes to rotating midfield options from game to game basis. The German coach will need all midfielders to be fresh and fit for the final four months of the season. In such a scenario, giving Roca an adequate amount of playing time can definitely help Rekordmeister to cope with the busy fixture list.

There is still no clarity about Tolisso’s future in Bavaria. The German club is in talks with him over contract renewal, but Tolisso has been consistently linked with various top clubs in Europe. The French midfielder will be in great demand during the summer window as his contract in Bavaria comes to an end.

In case Tolisso ends up leaving Die Roten, Roca may have to stay put and expect more playing time next season. If the Bavarian club extends Tolisso’s contract or signs a new midfielder, Roca should at least look for a loan move. The Spaniard will soon enter the peak years of his career, so it is crucial to get consistent playing time.