The international break will feature several Bayern Munich players for their national teams. Few first-team players continue to work at Sabner Strasse to keep up the rhythm for the clash against Bayer Leverkusen after the break. Raphael Guerreiro is also eyeing his Bayern debut against Leverkusen.
The Portuguese defender was spotted by Bild in training this week. Guerreiro has been on the sidelines for the best part of the pre-season due to a muscle injury. He played a friendly game at Tegernsee but suffered the injury just before the team was set to fly for the pre-season tour in Asia.
Guerreiro is unlikely to start against Bayer Leverkusen as he will need some time to get into the rhythm. Moreover, Alphonso Davies is enjoying a fine start to the Bundesliga campaign. The Canadian left-back has been devastating at both ends of the pitch during the first three Bundesliga games of the season.
Raphael Guerreiro will compete with Davies for a place in the starting XI. Bayern wanted to add depth in the left-back position after the departure of Joao Cancelo. They managed to get Guerreiro on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund. Thomas Tuchel had also given the seal of approval to the transfer since he has previously worked with the Portuguese defender.
Raphaël Guerreiro, currently working individually, is in contention to make the squad for the first time against Leverkusen after the international break [@BILD] pic.twitter.com/90IfJNPVLx
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) September 6, 2023
The 29-year-old full-back was one of the best creative players in the Bundesliga last season. He will provide more threat from set-pieces. Moreover, he can also slot in the attack and midfield if needed. Since midfield is currently thin on numbers, Guerreiro can certainly contribute in the center of the park until the winter transfer window.
Bayern are not blessed with similar depth in the right-back position. Noussair Mazraoui is the first-choice right-back for Tuchel this season. There is no natural right-back to compete with Mazraoui since Josip Stanisic and Benjamin Pavard left the club in the summer. Stanisic went on loan to Bayer Leverkusen, while Pavard sealed a permanent transfer to Inter Milan. Konrad Laimer and Joshua Kimmich are the other right-back options for Tuchel until January.
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Meanwhile, Jamal Musiala is also closing on a return to full fitness. The young midfielder missed Bayern’s last two league games due to a minor injury. Musiala has joined the German team, but he will likely feature in only one game during the international break. Leon Goretzka is determined to get back into the German team, as he trained at Sabner Strasse this week after Hansi Flick didn’t select him for the ongoing international break.