The new season in Germany is set to begin on Friday as Bayern Munich faces RB Leipzig in the DFL Supercup. It is the ideal opportunity for Die Roten to begin the new campaign with silverware. Julian Nagelsmann will be eager to make it two Supercup wins in a row after lifting the trophy for the first time last year.
In terms of personnel, Naglesmann will have a near full-strength squad against RB Leipzig. However, there is likely to be one surprise selection in the starting XI for the German Champions on Saturday.
According to AZ, Marcel Sabitzer is in line to start in the midfield for Die Roten against Leipzig in DFL Supercup. Sabitzer will operate as a number eight, while Joshua Kimmich is likely to play the deeper role for the German Champions.
Marcel Sabitzer endured a difficult debut season in Bavaria after moving from Leipzig at the end of last summer transfer window. The Austrian midfielder’s future has been uncertain since the end of last season, but he is determined to stay in Bavaria and get back to his best during the next campaign.
The former Leipzig midfielder had a very good pre-season with Die Roten. He scored a very good goal against DC United, while his performance against Manchester City also deserves praise. Julian Nagelsmann has spoken glowingly about his performances in training and friendly games during the pre-season.
With Leon Goretzka ruled out of Saturday’s game due to injury, selecting Sabitzer to replace him in the starting lineup is a no-brainer. Ryan Gravenberch also delivered good performances in pre-season friendlies, but he is likely to be slowly integrated into the starting lineup. The Dutch midfielder will start on the bench against Leipzig.
The game against Leipzig is a big opportunity for Sabitzer. A good performance on Saturday will set the tone for the entire season. There is still speculation about his future, but a good performance on Saturday will further strengthen his chances of staying in Bavaria for at least one more season.
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Meanwhile, Mathys Tel will not be featuring in the game against Leipzig. The 17-year-old forward is yet to be registered since completing a transfer from Rennes on Tuesday. Nagelsmann will be hoping that other forwards will step up on Saturday to show that the future is bright for Die Roten despite the departure of Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker joined FC Barcelona two weeks ago.