Ismael Saibari closes in on Bayern Munich debut after injury comeback

Ismael Saibari says he is back in full training with Bayern Munich after recovering from injury, but the Morocco international is still waiting to discover whether he will make his first appearance for the German club in Saturday’s friendly against RB Leipzig.

Saibari was unable to train with his new team until recently, but he has now returned to full involvement and says his debut is approaching.

“I have recovered well and I am training fully with the team again,” Saibari said during a news conference held to mark his presentation as a Bayern player.

Asked whether he could feature against RB Leipzig, he added: “I don’t know yet. I first have to consult the medical staff and then we will see.”

The 24-year-old joined Bayern after impressing the club’s technical director Max Eberl in a Champions League meeting between Bayern and PSV Eindhoven last season.

Bayern won that match 2-1, but it was Saibari’s performance for the Eindhoven side that persuaded Eberl he had the qualities required at the Bundesliga club. Saibari scored for PSV in the game.

“We had known Ismael for some time. But the decisive sign that he was the ideal player for Bayern was the match against PSV Eindhoven,” Eberl said.

“He caused problems for us time and again with his speed and versatility, even though we won. He has a special talent. We followed him closely.”

Eberl said Bayern had been looking to add greater variety to their attacking options, with the arrivals of Saibari and Nathaniel Brown forming part of that plan.

“At a certain point, it was clear that we wanted to strengthen our attack,” he said. “The two signings, Nathaniel Brown and Ismael, show that we want to increase our attacking flexibility.”

Saibari said he had received a warm welcome since moving to southern Germany and was pleased with the reception from both the squad and the club’s staff.

“My team-mates gave me a very warm welcome. The players, the staff, everyone has been lovely to me,” he said.

The Morocco international explained that Bayern’s status and style of play were central to his decision to join the club.

“Because it is one of the biggest teams in the world, that is certain. Their style of play also suits me. Since Vincent Kompany arrived, Bayern have played with a lot of intensity. I saw that for myself last season. I really like this style of play and I am looking forward to taking on this new challenge.”

Saibari’s first competitive appearance for Bayern has not yet been given a date. His recovery has allowed him to resume training, but he must still receive approval from the medical staff before he can be considered for the friendly against RB Leipzig.

Max Eberl’s comments underline how strongly Saibari impressed Bayern during the Champions League encounter, while the player’s return to training offers the club a potential opportunity to assess him in match conditions for the first time.