Bayern Munich have suffered a significant injury at the start of pre-season training. The Bundesliga champions released a statement confirming that Aleksandar Pavlovic will be sidelined for an extended period after fracturing his eye socket in training. He has undergone a successful surgery and will begin the rehabilitation process right away.
The return date for the 21-year-old is expected to be in early September, meaning he will be out of the roster for around three to four weeks. Unfortunately, Bayern will be without Pavlovic for the first two opening rounds of the Bundesliga against RB Leipzig at home and against Augsburg away, as well as, of course, the rest of the preseason preparation. The German midfielder will also miss the DFL Supercup against VfB Stuttgart.
Aleksandar Pavlovic only made 21 appearances for Bayern last season in the Bundesliga, only a slight increase from 19 the season before, despite having a more prominent position in the squad. The German international was decent and reliable in the games he played. Yet, he was absent in the most critical phase of the campaign.
Since joining the first team from the academy in October 2023, he has rarely had any injuries to his muscles and ligaments. Instead, non-sports-related injuries caused him to miss a lot of time. He was absent from the squad for a brief period in 2023/24 due to tonsillitis. The recurrence of which also cost him a ticket to the European Championship later in the year. Last season, the midfielder also missed ten games due to complications with mononucleosis.
Opportunities for other midfielders to shine in absence of Pavlovic
Aleksandar Pavlovic was set to be the number one choice in the double pivot beside the maestro Joshua Kimmich. He featured in the most important matches during the Club World Cup in the USA last month. Pavlovic's calm and possession-based play style was preferred tactically by Vincent Kompany, which gives him the upper edge in the battle for the starting spot with Leon Goretzka. Considering the current situation, the former Schalke 04 player is likely the best replacement for Aleksandar Pavlovic.
With the imminent departure of João Palhinha on loan to Tottenham Hotspur, this is also a golden opportunity for 20-year-old newcomer Tom Bischof to show his prowess and that he can be a valuable piece to the puzzle. A good display during preseason may earn him a starting role over his predecessor on the pitch.
Bayern Munich will begin their preseason campaign against Olympique Lyon on Saturday. The match will take place at the Allianz Arena. With Aleksandar Pavlovic set to sit out due to injury, the game will become an interesting competition for the starting role in the middle of the park.