There are many questions unanswered at FC Bayern before the start of the 2025 competitive game against Borussia Mönchengladbach. The biggest impact is probably the unclear future of Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich and Co. But other construction sites are also lurking – more than ever.
In purely sporting terms, he took care of things 6-0 win against Red Bull Salzburg for some relief. Even if the fifth-placed team in the Austrian Bundesliga wasn’t really a serious opponent, FC Bayern seems to be ready for the start of the 2025 football year in the Saturday evening game against Borussia Mönchengladbach (from 6.30 p.m. in the radio report in the BR24Sport live center).
But before the first competitive game of the new year, there are more question marks than ever before – especially away from the pitch.
Will Neuer be fit in time for Gladbach?
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer hasn’t played against Salzburg yet. The Munich captain was at the Broken ribs in the cup loss against Leverkusen drawn in. At the start of training, Neuer was back on the field as planned. “The healing process is very positive,” said sports director Max Eberl in Salzburg. But they don’t want to take any risks. Should he not be able to play, Bayern would have a problem: Daniel Peretz, who recently represented Neuer and, according to media reports, has moved up to second position within the team, is out: the Israeli suffered a bruised kidney during training.
When do Kimmich and Musiala extend?
The biggest question mark is behind the personalities of Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich. Both are playing contract poker – with an uncertain outcome. As “Sport-Bild” reports, Musiala should have one Demand an exit clause of 175 million. The player recently emphasized how comfortable he felt in Munich, but made it clear in the discussions that he would like to win the Champions League with his employer. FC Bayern’s last premier class victory was almost five years ago. Last season they only failed in the semi-finals. In previous years, Munich’s title dreams were always over in the quarter-finals. One thing is clear: for Musiala to be extended, the record champions would have to go to the limit financially. An annual salary of 25 million euros is being discussed.
The Munich team would also like to keep Joshua Kimmich. With the role of future captain, sports director Eberl is trying to persuade the 29-year-old to stay in the Bavarian capital. Kimmich himself refrained from making clear statements until the end, but always emphasized that this decision had to be carefully considered. For the Rottweiler native, who has been playing for FC Bayern since 2015, it is the famous “last big contract” at the age of 29. Kimmich had a difficult time under ex-coach Tuchel; during the Corona period he was caught in the crossfire because of his vaccination concerns. Looking back, Kimmich emphasized until the end that he would have liked more support from the club. Whether he sees his future in Munich remains to be seen. If he decides to leave, Manchester City would be available for former FCB coach Pep Guardiola.
Sports director Max Eberl, who has been in office in Munich for less than a year, will also be judged on the resolution of these personal details.
What’s next for Sané and Co.?
Leroy Sané is also not sure whether he will be employed at Säbener Straße beyond the summer. The player, who moved from Manchester City to Munich in 2020, should continue to see his future with the record champions. But here it is the club that is slowing down. Internally, Sané’s performance is viewed very critically. Those responsible are particularly bothered by Sané’s lack of consistency over the last five years. That’s why Sané should only extend his contract – if at all – at significantly lower salaries. His annual salary is currently almost 20 million euros. The 28-year-old will be playing for a new working paper in the coming weeks.
The contracts of Sven Ulreich, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller and Alphonso Davies also end on June 30, 2025. For the first two mentioned, an extension is only a matter of time. The Canadian Davies, who has publicly flirted with Real Madrid in the past, is also said to be on the verge of extending his contract. Thomas Müller left his future open with a homage to Franz Beckenbauer: “Look ma moi, then seng mas scho.”
But he no longer has the same importance on the pitch as Musiala or Kimmich. Müller’s move in the summer is also unlikely. It’s more about whether the former national player will end his career after the season or continue for another season. That may also depend on the team’s performance in the Champions League. The 2025 final will take place in Munich.
How do coach Kompany and the team present themselves after the winter break?
All of these issues off the pitch can also affect what happens on the pitch. There, coach Vincent Kompany’s team has to show that it can withstand the strain in the coming weeks. In the Champions League you need wins in Rotterdam and against Bratislava in order to qualify directly for the round of 16. In the Bundesliga, defending champions and Bayern hunters Leverkusen had recently shown a lot of improvement in form after a weak start to the season. The Kompany team’s lead over the Werkself is currently four points.
And then there is Kompany himself, who as a coach has no experience with title fights. With Burnley he played for promotion and achieved it – but was relegated again the following year. He only knows the European Cup from his time as a professional at Manchester City. After the DFB Cup exit, there is even greater focus on reaching the Champions League final in our own stadium. The Uli Hoeneß had already assured the fans of the championship in November.
Exciting weeks await FC Bayern. The sooner the question marks can be resolved, the more relaxed the rest of the season should be.
Source: BR24Sport January 8, 2025 – 9:54 a.m
