With the Bundesliga set to return on January 18th, the pressure is on once again for the defending champions Bayern Munich as they are set to address a lot of problems going into the second half of the season.
Serge Gnabry was unable to join the team’s training at the Aspire Academy last Sunday and worked for 30 minutes with the team’s physios.
The team is yet to release a statement regarding the latter’s health issues and the timetable for his return. The team is still waiting on evaluations done on the winger. Coach Hansi Flick, however, believes that the star has pulled up with Achilles tendon issues in their training camp.
‘We had running practice this morning, and that’s when he had to stop’, interim coach Hansi Flick told media.‘He has Achilles tendon problems. We have to treat it very, very seriously, and hope to have him back soon’.
He was one of the team’s stars in their double championship campaign last season, winning both the Bundesliga and the DFB Cup. He amassed 13 goals and nine assists in all competitions, which was enough for him to earn the Player of the Season award.
The 24-year-old still has a lot of tricks up in his sleeve. He is on the pace to shatter his totals last season, as he has 11 goals and eight assists in his 22 first-team appearances in the current campaign. He will do more than his previous totals if he returns in top shape soon.
Bayern is already without some of their best players, and are in trouble this season. Top scorer Robert Lewandowski (groin), winger Kingsley Coman (knee), midfielder Javi Martinex (thigh), and centre-back Niklas Sule (anterior cruciate ligament) are all out for the team as of this moment.
Meanwhile, Flick is positive that Jerome Boateng will continue to play for the team amidst reports of the latter leaving to play for Arsenal as he has struggled to keep a starting spot in the team. It has been one of the team’s pressing issues this season.
Boateng has played in nine league matches this season. Reports have begun to surface as the team is seemingly inclining on younger players in most areas, and as Arsenal is needing defensive players, a departure seems very likely.
The team will continue its title defence later next weekend, and they are aiming to come up with a stretch of wins in order to claim back the top spot in the Bundesliga. They are four points behind Leipzig for the top spot in the Bundesliga table.
While there are also rumours of possible transfers, Bayern may want to consider their options with the January transfer window in their capable hands. It could be a big twist for the team if they make the right choices going further into the season.