Committed as “emergency aid” shortly before the end of the summer transfer period, Marcel Sabitzer regularly disappoints in the Bayern jersey – including the surprising 1: 2 bankruptcy in Augsburg. Even Julian Nagelsmann seems at a loss.
“I always want to be on the pitch with Jo Kimmich,” replied Manuel Neuer, visibly annoyed, when he was asked about the corona-related absence of the midfielder on Friday evening after FC Bayern’s third defeat of the season.
Anyone who saw the previous 90 minutes in Augsburg could understand Neuer. Without Kimmich, little went in the center of the record champions. Leon Goretzka didn’t have a very lucky day, but especially Marcel Sabitzer, who slipped into the starting XI for Kimmich, showed a poor performance.
With the first goal conceded by Mads Pedersen (23rd) he only gave escort instead of consistently occupying the back space, before the second goal by Andre Hahn (35th) he frivoled the ball in the forward movement. In addition, there were some other cumbersome, almost sleepy actions with and without a ball.
Nagelsmann criticizes Sabitzer: “There is a lot more in him”
“There is much, much more in Sabi than we are currently seeing,” said Nagelsmann after the game DAZN. Especially the rooms that the Augsburgers offered Bavaria in passage one were “predestined” for the newcomer.
“He always did world class in Leipzig,” said Nagelsmann. The space-opening passes and lateral shifts, which the midfielder showed at the highest level at the Saxons, were “never seen” against FCA, complained the Munich coach. Just a matter of the head? “It works like that.”
There is hardly any other explanation for Sabitzer’s appearances. If he was the undisputed regular and captain in Leipzig, he has to be content with the role of backup for Kimmich and Goretzka at FCB. He knew that even before his 15 million euro move, but apparently he was counting on more playing time than he has received so far.
At least that was what his latest statements in the camp of the Austrian national team suggested. “In the situation in which I find myself, minutes of use are the most important thing,” complained Sabitzer last Monday.
Would Tolisso or Roca do worse than Sabitzer?
“I especially feel the trust and security that I am needed here,” he explained. If this is the case, he can “get his best performance”. “Everyone needs trust and security somewhere in order to be able to call up their best possible performance.”
Does Nagelsmann give him too little trust and security? Difficult to imagine. The coach campaigned for Sabitzer’s commitment to Bayern bosses for weeks, raved about him in interviews and, after initially observing, gave him more opportunities step by step.
Incidentally, more than Corentin Tolisso and Marc Roca, who together have fewer minutes of play (262) than Sabitzer (467). The only question is how much longer. They shouldn’t do their thing significantly worse than the Austrians.
Marcel Sabitzer in a profile
| birth date |
March 17, 1994 |
| place of birth |
Graz, Austria |
| position |
midfield |
| Strong foot |
To the right |
| Professional clubs |
FC Admira Wacker Mödling, Rapid Vienna, FC Red Bull Salzburg, RB Leipzig, FC Bayern Munich |
