Bayern Munich anticipates key defensive comeback in December

Bayern Munich have been unfortunate with injuries this season. They recently lost Aleksandar Pavlović for three months due to a collarbone injury. Bayern have been particularly troubled in the right-back position due to long-term injuries to Josip Stanišić and Sacha Boey.

Stanišić has been on the sidelines since pre-season after tearing a lateral ligament in his right knee. It was a massive blow for the player and Bayern since he was expected to play consistently under Vincent Kompany. The 24-year-old defender still has some waiting to do before making his first appearance of the season for Bayern.

According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, Stanišić will make a return to team training for Bayern in mid-December. The Croatian defender’s recovery is going well. Bayern do not want to take any risk since Stanišić has a crucial role to play in the second half of the season.

Stanišić is unlikely to start any games before the end of the year, but a few minutes from the bench is a real possibility for him if he joins the team training in December. Bayern will majorly use Stanišić in the right-back position, but the Croatian can play in any position across the back four.

The 24-year-old defender enjoyed a productive loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen last season. Stanišić ended up playing a considerable number of games for Leverkusen and helped the team win a historic domestic double. Bayern were pleased with Stanišić’s loan spell and extended his contract until 2029. His return to Munich in the summer led to the departure of Noussair Mazraoui. Stanišić will look to repay the faith shown by the club when he returns to action.

Sacha Boey is closing on a return to team training

While the wait for the return of Stanišić from a knee injury is longer, Bayern will have at least one natural option in the right-back position in the coming weeks. Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund admitted that Boey is close to returning to first-team training. The French defender is already training with the ball at Sabner Strasse.

Boey was gaining momentum in his performances before suffering a meniscus tear in September. The French full-back had endured a tough time at Bayern since arriving from Galatasaray in January. Boey will hope the injury woes are behind him and he can kickstart his campaign after the international break.

For now, Konrad Laimer and Raphaël Guerreiro continue to share the duties of the right-back position in the starting XI.