Bayern Munich kicked off their pre-season with an absolute curveball, starting their first friendly against Wehen Wiesbaden with an XI boasting an average age of just 17.6 years! Imagine throwing a bunch of kids who’ve “never played against grown men” onto the pitch for their senior debut. That’s exactly what went down at the BRITA-Arena for Wiesbaden’s 100th anniversary celebration, with over 12,000 fans watching the double winners in their brand-new away kits.
Young Guns Thrown Into The Fire
It was a proper test, a 1-0 deficit at half-time showing just how tough the pros can be for a squad of teenagers. Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund kept it cool, telling FC Bayern TV PLUS that the boys “held their own, had good spells” and even “created chances.” He called it “valuable experience for these young guys,” and honestly, you have to agree. Coach Vincent Kompany was stoked to be back on the touchline, seeing this as a golden opportunity for these campus players. He knows Wiesbaden can be a pain; they made things super tough last season in the DFB Cup, with Florian Stritzel saving a Harry Kane penalty in a wild 3-2 Bayern win. This time, Stritzel was on the bench, and his deputy wasn’t exactly under siege, but those young Bayern prospects were definitely trying to express themselves amidst the nerves. Only Guido Della Rovere, 19, and Bastian Assomo, 16, had even seen a first-team matchday squad before, so this was uncharted territory for almost everyone.
Experience Swings the Momentum
Kompany brought in the cavalry for the second half, and you could feel the difference immediately. Sweeping changes included Tom Bischof rocking his new No.8 shirt, alongside Sacha Boey, João Palhinha, and Arijon Ibrahimović returning from loan spells. Maycon Cardozo, who broke into the senior squad last season, also hit the field, with Sven Ulreich taking the captain’s armband in goal. Kompany had already said they wouldn’t “lower the bar with the younger players,” but clearly, the introduced experience was “very noticeable.” Bayern started moving the ball with way more control and got forward much more effectively. This is what pre-season is all about: seeing what you’ve got and giving these young players a taste of the big time before the heavy hitters return.
What’s next for Bayern? Keep an eye out over the coming weeks as the World Cup players, fresh off their extended holidays, start trickling back into training. That’s when we’ll really begin to see Kompany’s full vision for the squad take shape!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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