Many failures against Wolfsburg
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National player Jamal Musiala’s big comeback at FC Bayern is within reach, but not yet at the start of the year. The 22-year-old offensive player will not yet be part of the squad on Sunday against Munich’s favorite opponent VfL Wolfsburg, as coach Vincent Kompany reported. DFB colleague Joshua Kimmich, the sick Alphonso Davies and Sacha Boey as well as the Senegalese Nicolas Jackson, who is still at the Africa Cup, will also be missing from the start of 2026. Meanwhile, Manuel Neuer will be back in goal after a torn muscle fiber.
“Jamal is not ready for this game yet. We are close, but we don’t want to take this final step too quickly. This week was good for him. He has trained almost everything. But this game comes a little too early,” explained Kompany before the start of the English week with the games against Wolfsburg and then away in Cologne and Leipzig. Musiala suffered a broken fibula six months ago at the Club World Cup in the USA in Munich’s quarter-final exit against Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain. In addition to Bayern, national coach Julian Nagelsmann is also hoping for the national player to return soon in the World Cup year. Kompany doesn’t want to take any risks.
Bayern coach Kompany about Kimmich: “Jo always wants to push”
DFB captain Kimmich will also not play again against Wolfsburg due to his ankle problems, which have been plaguing the 30-year-old since November and forced him to take a break from play at the end of the year. “You know Jo Kimmich. He always wants to push. He won’t miss a game more than he has to. But at the moment the situation is what it is. And the other boys in the team just have to help,” said Kompany. “But when Jo comes back, I hope this problem is definitely solved. Then he can just play his football again. At the moment it’s going in the right direction.” Until the end of January, Bayern will play a total of seven games, five in the Bundesliga and two in the Champions League (click here for FC Bayern’s schedule).
FC Bayern: Strong home record against Wolfsburg
With a home win on matchday 16, the Munich team, who are already first in the round, could increase their lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund to almost a decisive eleven points. BVB played 3-3 in Frankfurt on Friday evening. The probability of a win against Wolfsburg is high, because FC Bayern has never lost at home in the Bundesliga against VfL (here is FC Bayern’s record against Wolfsburg). Despite these statistics, Kompany warned: “Wolfsburg’s strengths are clear. They are a strong offensive team, they are always dangerous to score. They have scored a lot of goals in the last few games. It is not a safe game.” But he says that every week, the Bayern coach himself added.
No Bayern pressure on Neuer: “40 years of incredible age”
Meanwhile, Neuer will be back in goal for FC Bayern after suffering a torn muscle fiber in the first Bundesliga game of the year. The exciting question of whether Germany’s record goalkeeper will continue his magnificent career with the record champions beyond the season will only be decided after Neuer’s 40th birthday at the end of March.
“Manu should first get into this new age,” said sports director Max Eberl. Like the captain, the Munich bosses don’t want to rush anything. “It’s an incredible age that we’re talking about. Manu will be 40 in March. We’re talking about the Champions League. We’re talking about the top level in Europe and in the world,” explained Eberl. “The time is there. And you have to give yourself the time. Because at such an age you can no longer talk to such players in perspective, but rather take a shorter look,” continued Eberl. The questions for Neuer in March would be: “How do you feel after such a season? Do you still have that energy and everything?” Neuer has been playing for Bayern since 2011, with whom he won the treble twice, among other things.
FC Bayern: Urbig already ready to be number one in the summer?
Coach Kompany and Eberl classify the current Munich goalkeeper situation with Neuer as number one and 22-year-old Jonas Urbig as deputy as an “optimal constellation” before the start of the second half of the season. However, Kompany avoided the question of whether he would trust Urbig, who was signed by 1. FC Köln a year ago, to take on the role as his new successor this summer. “This question is too far away at the moment. But we have already shown that we have trust in Jonas,” said the coach.
Urbig represented Neuer, who injured his thigh, in goal in the last league game of 2025 in the 4-0 win in Heidenheim and also in this week’s friendly against Red Bull Salzburg (5-0). “The trust in Jonas is great. We have confidence that Jonas can become number one at Bayern at some point,” said Eberl.