Gnabry's Return and Saibari's Pressure at Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich are close to getting a familiar weapon back. Serge Gnabry is pushing hard for his comeback – and the timing could hardly be more uncomfortable for Ismael Saibari.

The 31-year-old winger has stepped up his recovery and is now fully back in team training under Vincent Kompany. After easing his way in last week, Gnabry completed all drills at the start of this week and looked sharp, by all accounts. The long lay-off that began in April with an adductor injury is almost over.

That problem cost him Bayern’s season run-in and the World Cup with Germany. Now, according to Bild, he could already be in the squad for Thursday’s Champions League opener against Bodö/Glimt at the Allianz Arena.

A starting place would be a surprise this early. Match rhythm takes time. But the direction of travel is clear – and Saibari can feel it.

Saibari’s rocky start

Saibari arrived in Munich last summer with expectations and a sizeable price tag. Bayern paid PSV Eindhoven a reported fee just shy of €55 million including bonuses, a statement signing for Kompany’s new era.

He has been in the XI for the last two competitive games: the 4-1 DFB Cup win over VfL Osnabrück and the goalless draw away to promoted Schalke 04. Both times, the Moroccan was substituted after around half an hour. Twice hooked early, twice under the microscope.

His debut in the Bundesliga offered a brighter glimpse. Coming off the bench in the 5-1 win against VfB Stuttgart, he managed two goal involvements and hinted at the creative spark Bayern had bought. Since then, though, no direct goal contribution. The early momentum has stalled.

That has opened the door to criticism, and one of the loudest voices belongs to former Bayern midfielder Dietmar Hamann.

“Like a poor Kane”: Hamann’s harsh verdict

Hamann, now a pundit with Sky, did not hold back in his assessment. He called Saibari a “wonderful footballer”, then immediately undercut the compliment.

His main accusation: lack of pace. Hamann argued Saibari is “too slow”, going so far as to compare him unfavourably to Harry Kane: the English striker is not known for blistering speed, and in Hamann’s view, “now his back-up is not the quickest either.”

Hamann also doubts the much-discussed versatility of the 23-year-old. While Bayern see a player who can operate across four positions, Hamann disagrees. For him, Saibari has just one real role – directly behind Kane in the No 10 slot. Out wide, he believes, the Moroccan simply lacks the acceleration.

And even in that central role, Hamann puts a clear marker down: he sees “Serge Gnabry a class better” than Bayern’s new signing. With Gnabry’s return imminent, that opinion feels less like a hot take and more like a looming reality for Saibari’s place in the pecking order.

The pressure is obvious. Gnabry is closing in, the fixtures are piling up, and Kompany will soon have a big call to make between established star and expensive newcomer.

Familiar referee for Bayern’s Champions League start

While the debate rumbles on around Bayern’s attack, the club received a small boost from the officials’ room ahead of Thursday night.

Rade Obrenovic has been appointed to referee the Champions League opener against Bodö/Glimt. The Slovenian is a relatively fresh face for Bayern, but the only previous meeting with him went very well from their perspective.

Last season, Obrenovic took charge of Bayern’s 2-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise, a result that sealed progression to the round of 16. That evening, he pointed to the spot twice for the German record champions. Harry Kane converted one penalty and missed the other. Obrenovic also showed Min-Jae Kim a second yellow card and sent him off. The decisions stood up to scrutiny.

A good omen, perhaps, as Bayern set off again in pursuit of the trophy that defines their seasons. And as the Champions League anthem rings out in Munich, one question hangs over the Allianz Arena: when Gnabry is fully back, who dares give Kompany a reason to drop them?