Bayern Munich showed a lot of character and resilience on Saturday to win the game against Freiburg after going 2-0 down inside 20 minutes of the game. The Bavarian club came roaring back in the contest by scoring six goals in the next 70 minutes to run away with a comfortable victory.
There were a lot of positives for Bayern to take from the game against Freiburg. From a squad depth point of view, the biggest was the return of Hiroki Ito. After being out of action for close to eight months, the Japanese defender made his return in the second half.
Ito marked this return to action with an assist for Michael Olise’s second goal at the end of the game. It has been a long wait for the former Stuttgart defender to play for Bayern, as he suffered a metatarsal fracture at the end of March. It was his second metatarsal fracture since joining Die Roten from Stuttgart in 2024.
Bayern are going to slowly ease him into action by giving him minutes from the bench. While talking to Sky Sports in Germany this week, Christoph Freund insisted that the return of Hiroki Ito is like a new signing. He has backed him to play a crucial role in the squad for the rest of the season.
"Yes, a little bit. It's been unfortunate for him and everyone involved so far. He's come back really well after the first training sessions. He can do what he loves most again: play football. He's a really good footballer, and we're happy for him that he's back. He'll be an important pillar for us in the coming months."Christoph Freund on return of Hiroki Ito
Freund also insisted that Die Roten have been very cautious with Ito’s rehabilitation since it was a recurring injury. The Austrian sporting director believes that the Japanese defender has now completely recovered, and the club is confident that there will be no relapse.
Ito's versatility will allow Kompany to implement rotation in defense
Freund insisted that Ito’s ability to play in multiple defensive positions makes him an asset to the team. Vincent Kompany has been very reluctant to rotate his options in defense due to several injuries this season. Ito’s return will be a welcome boost for the Belgian head coach.
With games coming thick and fast until the winter break, Ito will get decent game time to build his fitness. He has shown glimpses of his quality since arriving from Stuttgart. The Bavarian faithful will hope that the injury nightmare is over for the Japanese defender.
Bayern are hoping to see Alphonso Davies back in the squad before the winter break. The Canadian full-back has been on the sidelines since April due to a serious knee injury. Meanwhile, Jamal Musiala continues to train on the pitch. Bayern are expecting Musiala to start training with the squad after the winter break.