After the hard-fought 3-2 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend, Bayern Munich extended their lead at the top to eight points, with RB Leipzig lending a hand by holding Borussia Dortmund to just a point.
A comfortable lead ahead of Germany's clash of titans is a massive mental advantage for Bayern players, despite having to play away at the fearsome Signal Iduna Park. Head coach Vincent Kompany will be happier to see some positivity from today's training session
Team captain Manuel Neuer completed individual training under the supervision of rehab coach Simon Martinello, per Sky Sports journalist Kerry Hau. While the 39-year-old keeper is still unable to do jumping and aerial workouts, he looks comfortable with other exercises with increased intensity.
Manuel Neuer looks to build fitness to return in time for the match on Saturday. Although it seems likely that he will start on the bench in favour of a healthier Jonas Urbig, his locker room presence is crucial for this high-calibre battle.
Laimer back in training after minor knock
Konrad Laimer has also resumed team training and is optimistic to start this weekend. The Austrian international was not in the squad for Frankfurt for load management reasons.
Laimer's return will be important for Bayern Munich, as Alphonso Davies went down with a muscle injury, and Hiroki Ito has not found form in recent fixtures. He and Josip Stanisic will likely be Kompany's preferred choice on both flanks.
Jamal Musiala's fitness is looking much better after returning from his devastating injury in the Club World Cup. The young attacking midfielder started against Frankfurt and completed a decent 78-minute shift before being brought out for Serge Gnabry.
According to BILD, Jamal Musiala is doing a daily extra training programme developed by specialists and physiotherapists, working closely with the club's medical team. The soon-to-be 23-year-old star is expected to feature in the starting line-up more often and aim to be back at his best for the Champions League Round of 16 around mid-March.
In news unrelated to training but may be great for team spirits, Lennart Karl has sealed his extension with Bayern Munich until 2029 immediately after turning 18. Max Eberl and the board want to upgrade this bond to a higher level in terms of time and salary. The expected deal will run until 2031 and include an increased wage.
Karl is happy at Bayern despite the Real Madrid rumour. He is pleased with the project and committed to a long-term deal, per Fabrizio Romano.