Vincent Kompany made one change to the midfield department against Union Berlin on Saturday. Joshua Kimmich replaced Aleksandar Pavlovic, while Leon Goretzka kept his place in the team. Bayern Munich didn’t want to take a risk with Pavlovic after he suffered a knock against Atalanta in midweek.
Pavlovic is now a doubt for Germany’s two games during the international break. While talking to Sky Sports in Germany on Saturday, Bayern’s sporting director Christoph Freund hinted that Pavlovic could do with a rest during the international break.
Freund also confirmed that Pavlovic complained about an injury problem on Saturday, which ensured Kimmich started alongside Goretzka in the center of the park. Vincent Kompany also told the media that he is in touch with Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann regarding the fitness of Pavlovic.
In an ideal scenario for Bayern, Pavlovic sits out the international break, as he is a crucial part of their plans for the rest of the season. Pavlovic is the first-choice midfielder for Vincent Kompany this season. The young midfielder has delivered brilliant performances while starting alongside Kimmich in the center of the park.
Vincent Kompany on Aleks Pavlović: "I'll speak to Julian [Nagelsmann] again. We're always in close exchange. There's no big difference between what the national team wants and what we want. They have two friendlies, they want to keep the players fit for the World Cup. It's our… pic.twitter.com/tSipWkNn7B
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) March 21, 2026
Germany and Julian Nagelsmann will be disappointed if Pavlovic misses both games during the upcoming international break. He is an important part of Nagelsmann’s plans for the World Cup in the summer. It is crucial for Pavlovic to get game time with his German teammates to be in good rhythm ahead of the World Cup.
Jamal Musiala will have to wait for his return to German national team
The wait to wear the jersey of the German national team again continues for Jamal Musiala. After making a recovery from a serious injury he suffered in the Club World Cup last summer, Musiala was finding rhythm for Bayern during Ruckrunde. He was expected to play for Germany in the upcoming international break.
However, a minor injury last week ensured Musiala was not called up by Nagelsmann. Bayern and Germany hope that Musiala recovers over the couple of weeks. He is nailed on to be part of Germany’s World Cup squad, provided he doesn’t suffer further injury setbacks.
Vincent Kompany and Bayern have been carefully managing the workload of Musiala since he returned to training at the end of 2025. He has slowly regained his form, so this minor setback will be even more frustrating for the club and player. The Bavarian faithful will hope Musiala is fit to participate in the Champions League quarter-final games against Real Madrid after the international break.