Following Adam Aznou’s six-month loan spell at Valladolid, the significance of his return to Bayern Munich and inclusion in the squad for the FIFA Club World Cup should not be underestimated. Whilst it could be argued that his inclusion only came about because of the long-term absence, due to injury, of both Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito, the reality of the situation is that the 19-year-old is poised to be a breakout player at the tournament.
Let’s take a closer look at why that’s the case for the thrice-capped Moroccan international and what it means not just for the player, but also his club and country.
Why the player must get significant playing time at CWC
Back in May, with reference to upcoming friendly games in the summer, Moroccan national team coach Walid Regragui went on record to say that Aznou has been rested since he is likely to play at the Club World Cup for Bayern.
"We received calls from several clubs about releasing players and we insisted on their presence. But in Aznou's case, I allowed him to stay with Bayern. It's a major chance for him to earn his place at the Club World Cup."Walid Regragui, Head coach, Morocco
As per the saying “it takes two hands to clap” Bayern is obligated on principle to ensure that Aznou gets the optimum level of exposure at the Club World Cup, and currently there is no reason to believe that he won’t get the chance put his best foot forward at the tournament.
Why Aznou is expected to thrive at CWC
Despite Valladolid finishing bottom of La Liga in the recently completed domestic season, Aznou acquitted himself well in Spain. He featured in 13 out of a possible 16 league games, either at left back or at left wing.
Having held his own in Spain’s top flight, there’s every reason to believe that he could perform similarly against the likes of Auckland City FC and even Boca Juniors and Benfica in the group stage of the Club World Cup.
Despite the tournament coming so soon after the completion of the 2024/25 domestic season, barring extraordinary circumstances, Bayern are expected to advance to the knockout stage of the competition. With that being the case, a healthy dose of squad rotation is to be expected, and it would only make sense to include Aznou in the rotations.
Imminent and long-term benefits for Bayern Munich
With both Davies and Ito on the long-term casualty list, Aznou is an excellent option to have at left-back behind Raphael Guerreiro. Since joining Bayern in the summer of 2023, Guerreiro hasn’t had the best of luck with injuries. Considering the packed schedule and the fact that the veteran Portuguese defender turns 32 in December, sharing responsibilities with Aznou is just what is required to keep both players fresh and to mitigate the chances of adding them to the injury list.
Apart from putting in a fine shift at left-back or left wing, similar to Guerreiro, the naturally-left footed Moroccan can also function as an inverted right-back. With Bayern currently short of wing options in both the defensive and offensive departments Aznou could be a long-term solution in more ways than one.