Bayern Munich has secured qualification to the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup with two wins out of two games. In true Bayern fashion, the team will continue to work hard to retain the top spot in the group in the final matchday against Benfica. However, considering all things, this is the perfect opportunity for Vincent Kompany to test out the youngsters and allow them to showcase their abilities.
A player that fans expect to make his Club World Cup debut is Jonas Urbig, who impressed thoroughly during the previous season. Yet, according to BILD (via iMiaSanMia), the 21-year-old goalkeeper will still have to take a back seat in this upcoming fixture. His predecessor Manuel Neuer will continue to be the main man in between the sticks.
When being asked about the matter, Neuer insisted the coaching staff makes the decision who starts in the goal.
Manuel Neuer has been decent in his previous matches since returning from injury. He kept a clean sheet against Auckland City and made several crucial saves against Boca Juniors. Bayern's captain has had an incredible track record in the FIFA Club World Cup, only conceding one goal in all of his six games, which was the one in the latest game against Boca. Undoubtedly, he is the safer option for Vincent Kompany and Bayern Munich.
However, many fans would agree that Bayern can save some of that Neuer brilliance for the latter stage of the tournament. From now on, the game against Benfica has the lowest degree of importance, as every match in the knockout stage is either win or go home. Vincent Kompany should seize this opportunity to rest the starters and give the younger players playing time. Jonas Urbig is well capable of pulling a similar level of performance as current Neuer, and giving him time on the pitch would only benefit his progression.
Young players deserve more playing time
Similar stories for other Bayern players. Adam Aznou has recently spoken out, hoping to get more playing time. The left-back possesses excellent quality in one-on-one and positional play but hasn't received adequate playing time to show it. Tom Bischof has zero minutes so far in Bayern colors. Despite his young age, he has proven himself to be a top-level Bundesliga player and a German international. Lennart Karl also deserves more showcasing time after his 45 minutes of quality against Auckland City.
With Thomas Muller leaving the club and Manuel Neuer nearing the end of his career, Bayern fans would surely hope to see some young stars, especially ones from the academy, step up and become prominent figures in the first-team setup. And it has to start with valuable experience against tough competition.