Bayern Munich vs VfB Stuttgart: Lineups, team news, injury updates, and more!

The international break is OVER! Bayern Munich somehow survived the break without suffering any new injuries, which is more than you can say for their opponents this weekend.

After three winless games in a row and two whole weeks to think about them, Vincent Kompany faces a second gauntlet of major fixtures that will really test his mettle as coach. First up, Sebastian Hoeneß’s VfB Stuttgart.

Team news

In his pregame presser, Vincent Kompany confirmed that Jamal Musiala will miss the game. No exact reason was given, but it’s probably the same hip issue that sidelined him before the break and kept him from being called up to the national team. The fact that two weeks of rest and recuperation wasn’t enough to fix the problem is definitely worrisome — hopefully the coaching staff is being simply being conservative with his comeback. Dayot Upamecano also remains doubtful for the game, while Josip Stanišić and Sacha Boey work on their comebacks.

Therefore, when it comes to the lineup, Kompany doesn’t have too many options. Harry Kane mercifully survived his international outing with the Three Lions, so he should be able to start up top. Joining him will likely be Thomas Müller, assuming that Kompany doesn’t prefer Michael Olise in that role like he did against Aston Villa. With Serge Gnabry, those four players should round out the offensive end of the lineup.

In midfield, Aleksandar Pavlović is reportedly fit, which should allow him to pair up with Joshua Kimmich in the center of the pitch. Calls for João Palhinha to start have grown louder following the last-minute draw against Frankfurt on MD6, but the coach has given no indication that he wants to change his pivot.

At the back, assuming Dayot Upamecano is fit, we should see him and Kim Min-jae start together in the center — alternatives to Upamecano include Eric Dier or Leon Goretzka. As for the left and right-back spots, you have to assume Alphonso Davies and Raphaël Guerreiro will reprise their roles from before the break. With Manuel Neuer in goal, here’s what a potential lineup could look like:

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