The Bundesliga resumes on Friday with a trip to Cologne for Bayern Munich. A win on Friday will help Die Roten to go temporarily top of the Bundesliga since Bayer Leverkusen will play later this weekend. While a win will be sweet on Friday, Die Roten have been definitely dealt a bad hand with the schedule of the game against FC Koln.
Bayern had several players on national duty during the last ten days. Some of the players have been playing far away from Europe. Since the international break came to an end on Wednesday, it makes no sense to have these players ready for another game on Friday.
Kim Min-jae played in South Korea and China during the international. The 26-year-old defender is expected to start against FC Koln after a long travel from Asia to Germany. The club football schedule is already cramped due to games across different competitions. Playing and travelling so much increases the possibility of injuries.
Thomas Tuchel was annoyed with the scheduling of the game against FC Koln. While talking to the media on Thursday (via iMiaSanMia), the German coach urged governing bodies to plan schedules that are in the interest of the game and players.
"“From next season there’ll be even more Champions League matches and the 2025 Club World Cup. That doesn’t just affect Joshua but many players. We’re the team that has to play on Friday tomorrow. That can’t be in the interests of the players or the game. It has to be done with joy. The situation is at the limit, maybe even over the limit.”"
The last 12 months have been brutal for footballers since there was a World Cup in Qatar midway through the season. There has been no proper break for footballers, which has led to several injuries this season. BBC reported this week that the Premier League has witnessed 15% more injuries this campaign than the last four years.
Bayern have also endured a fair share of injury problems this season. Thomas Tuchel had no fit senior center-backs for one game this season. Since players are getting overworked, non-contact injuries are increasing in the game. The number of injuries may increase in the coming years as more games are going to be added across the campaign with the expansion of the Champions League.
Thomas Tuchel doesn’t have to worry about players getting injured on national duty for a few months since the next international break is in March. He will lose four players in January since they will be playing in the AFCON and Asian Cup. Tuchel will have to rotate the squad better and hope for new arrivals in January.
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For the game against FC Koln, Tuchel will have a strong squad available for selection. Matthijs de Ligt and Jamal Musiala are going to miss the game due to injuries, while Raphael Guerreiro is a doubt for the game. De Ligt is expected to return at the end of December, while Musiala should be fit for next weekend’s game against Union Berlin.