Munich is preparing for a Champions League night against Arsenal without Michael Olise, whose first dismissal of his career has left Bayern Munich weighing experience, youth and a possible change of shape.
Olise suspension changes Bayern’s plans
- Olise was sent off last Tuesday during Bayern’s league-phase match against Viking after throwing the ball at Viking captain Zlatko Tripic.
- The red card, the first of the French forward’s career, means he is suspended for Wednesday’s meeting with Premier League champions Arsenal.
- Bayern followed that European setback with a 6-1 win over Leipzig on Saturday, when Joshua Kimmich acknowledged the scale of the missing player’s influence.
“Of course it makes things more difficult, especially when you have to replace a player like him in such a big match,” Kimmich said after the Leipzig victory. “But we have plenty of quality in the squad.”
Kompany has several routes to consider
Vincent Kompany must now decide how Bayern cover Olise’s absence. Lennart Karl and Serge Gnabry have emerged as the principal options, though Bayern could also alter their system rather than make a direct replacement.
Karl is viewed as the more natural stand-in for Olise, but there are doubts over his consistency. Since the injury suffered on 5 June, which ruled him out of the World Cup, he has not consistently reached his best level. He did score in Bayern’s defeat to Arsenal last season.
Gnabry would offer Kompany a more seasoned alternative for a fixture of this size. The coach could instead reshape the side and turn to players such as Tom Bischof or Nathaniel Brown, rather than selecting either Karl or Gnabry in a like-for-like role.
Olise’s enforced absence has also sharpened concern over Bayern’s reliance on him. Against Arsenal, at the point where the Champions League campaign gathers pace, Kompany’s choice will show whether Bayern trust their established depth or seek a different route through the contest.
