Who is the Biggest Pre-Season Winner at Bayern Munich?
Serge Gnabry is replaced. The biggest pre-season winner at Bayern Munich is a duo that follows Lennart Karl's footsteps. Lennart Karl is currently injured, Serge Gnabry also.
Who were the winners of the pre-season in the past years?
In the past five years, the so-called 'winners of the pre-season' were crowned at Bayern Munich. Who triumphed in the past five years? We have reviewed the history of the pre-season winners.
2021: Stanisic makes a name for himself
As always after big tournaments, several key players missed the start of training at Bayern Munich in the summer of 2021. However, two talents emerged under new coach Julian Nagelsmann: Josip Stanisic and Tanguy Nianzou. The then 21-year-old homegrown player Stanisic had already made his professional debut in the previous season. Now he profited from a Benjamin Pavard injury and even started on the right flank in the Bundesliga opener against Borussia Mönchengladbach. In the following weeks, Stanisic accumulated more appearances, but Pavard regained his starting spot after recovering. Stanisic remained a rotation player, before returning to Munich with a new status in 2023/24 after a loan to Bayer Leverkusen.
2022: Sabitzer and Gravenberch burn out quickly
'If you want, you can call him the winner of the pre-season,' said Nagelsmann in August 2022 - and with 'him' he meant Marcel Sabitzer. The Austrian midfielder had disappointed in his first season at Bayern Munich and was already considered a sale candidate. In the 2022 pre-season, he suddenly turned on in Goretzka's absence. However, Sabitzer's surge was not sustainable: He quickly fell back into the second row, and in the winter, he was loaned to Manchester United, before being transferred to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023. Sabitzer was not the only midfielder who made a name for himself in the summer of 2022: Ryan Gravenberch, who had just joined the club, also showed a good early form. Like Sabitzer, Gravenberch profited from Goretzka's injury. However, Goretzka ultimately 'survived' not only Sabitzer, but also Gravenberch. Disappointed with too few playing chances, Gravenberch left Munich after one season to develop into a top player at Liverpool.
2023: Laimer instead of 'Holding Six' and Kane-stand-in Tel
The summer of 2023 was dominated by the poker game around Harry Kane and Thomas Tuchel's wish for a 'Holding Six'. In the shadow of these two sagas, two pre-season winners emerged. On the one hand, it was Marcel Sabitzer, who emerged again in the 2023 pre-season. On the other hand, the young Laimer also showed himself as a pre-season winner. The summer of 2023 was dominated by the poker game around Harry Kane and Thomas Tuchel's wish for a 'Holding Six'. In the shadow of these two sagas, two pre-season winners emerged. On the one hand, it was Marcel Sabitzer, who emerged again in the 2023 pre-season. On the other hand, the young Laimer also showed himself as a pre-season winner.
Current situation
Lennart Karl and Serge Gnabry are currently injured. The biggest pre-season winner at Bayern Munich is a duo that follows Lennart Karl's footsteps. We will wait and see how the situation develops.
