Coach Julian Nagelsmann is already keeping an eye on the big knockout game in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain in the Bundesliga game between FC Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart.
“It’s always a tightrope walk. Are you already warming up for PSG? It’s clear that next week’s game is an incredibly important one,” said the Bayern coach, looking ahead to the round of 16 second leg next Wednesday.
But Nagelsmann also said: “If you look at the table situation in the Bundesliga, the same applies to the game at VfB.” In any case, it makes “little sense to slow down in the game before that,” he said in relation to the players who will start in Stuttgart on Saturday (6:30 p.m. / Sky). “We have nothing to give away in the Bundesliga. We’re not ten points ahead,” said Nagelsmann.
Probably little rotation
The coach is still thinking deeply about his line-up, as he and his coaching team have already developed an “idea against PSG”. Nagelsmann announced that he would not rotate much compared to the recent 3-0 win against 1. FC Union Berlin.
Dayot Upamecano is available again in defense after being suspended from red. Benjamin Pavard, on the other hand, is suspended for the second leg against PSG after his yellow-red card in Bayern’s 1-0 win in Paris. Whether Pavard will play in Stuttgart will be a gut decision on the day of the game. “Benji is in extremely good form. If you look at the Bundesliga game in isolation, you should let him play,” said Nagelsmann, describing his thoughts.
On Friday before the final training session, it was still uncertain whether Leroy Sané would be part of the squad in Stuttgart. The national player has a small capsule injury on the ankle.
