Bayern assistant coach Aaron Danks, who attended the press conference ahead of the Champions League clash against Arsenal due to Vincent Kompany’s illness, discussed Michael Olise’s suspension and his potential replacement. He also admitted there were doubts over Joshua Kimmich, who missed today’s training session for personal reasons.
“We’ll speak with Vincent later,” Danks said when asked about a possible solution to Olise’s absence. “Lennart Karl is one of the players who could come into the team. We are Bayern, and we have a strong squad. Naturally, we will miss Michael, but when he’s not available, there are other players who can step in and take his place.”
The French attacking midfielder was sent off last Tuesday against Norwegian side Viking FK in a 2-2 draw after receiving a second yellow card for kicking the ball at Zlatko Tripić.
Regarding Kimmich’s absence from training today, Danks said he did not yet know what it would mean for tomorrow’s match. Kompany’s own availability is also uncertain, with the Bayern head coach suffering from a virus.
Overall, several questions remain over Bayern’s starting lineup, beginning in goal. Although Manuel Neuer has returned to training, it has not yet been decided whether he will feature tomorrow. The experienced 40-year-old German goalkeeper missed both the match against Viking FK and Saturday’s Bundesliga clash against Leipzig due to a foot problem.