Vincent Kompany has made competition for places a major part of his approach at Bayern Munich, and there are plenty of examples of players pushing each other for minutes.
At left-back, Alphonso Davies now has legitimate competition from Nathaniel Brown, who can also provide an attacking threat from the position. Brown was signed in part to give Bayern Munich another option at left-back, and his versatility has already given Kompany additional tactical flexibility.
There is also the battle involving
Josip Stanišić and Konrad Laimer. Both players can operate at full-back, but Kompany has used them differently depending on the opponent and the needs of the match. Stanišić started at right-back against Union Berlin, while Laimer (who was out for Union Berlin with an adductor injury) started there against Bodø/Glimt.
Then there is perhaps the most interesting competition: Ismael Saibari and Jamal Musiala. Saibari has shown that he can provide a genuine alternative in attacking midfield, while Musiala remains one of Bayern Munich’s most important attacking players. Saibari came off the bench to score against Union Berlin after Musiala started, while he also started against Elversberg before Musiala entered the match.
That kind of depth creates difficult decisions for Kompany, but it also means players have to perform when they get their opportunities.
So, what do you think? Has the increased competition for starting spots actually elevated the level of play at Bayern Munich?
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