Jamal Musiala to miss Bayern Munich’s Stuttgart opener, confirms Vincent Kompany

Bayern Munich will begin their title defence without Jamal Musiala after coach Vincent Kompany confirmed the Germany international will not be included against Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena.

Musiala is expected to take part in team training on Thursday, but Bayern are continuing to manage his return carefully as he adjusts to an increased dosage of medication.

“Basically, Jamal’s doing pretty well. He’ll take part in team training today. He won’t be in the squad tomorrow,” Kompany said.

The Bayern coach did not give a date for Musiala’s return, saying the decision would be made in consultation with medical experts.

“He will return to the squad at some point and we’ll make the decision in close consultation with the experts. He’s doing well,” Kompany said.

Musiala’s absence is a setback for Bayern as they start their defence of the league title, although Kompany received more encouraging news regarding several other members of his squad.

Lennart Karl, who is 18, is back in contention after recovering from the injury that ruled him out shortly before Germany’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. The teenager could feature against Stuttgart, although Kompany will assess how much responsibility he can handle.

“Lennart Karl is back in the squad; we’ll have to wait and see just how big a role he can play,” Kompany said.

New signing Ismael Saibari is also nearing full fitness. The midfielder’s possible involvement will be decided after training, with Kompany yet to determine whether he is ready to start.

“Ismael Saibari is making very good progress; we’ll see whether he’s ready to start. We’ve got so many matches coming up in the next few weeks.”

Nathaniel Brown provides another attacking option for Bayern after making an impression in their 2-1 DFL-Supercup win against Borussia Dortmund. The natural left-back scored in that match and could again be deployed in a more advanced position.

Kompany said Bayern’s tactical approach gives players the freedom to operate in several roles, with Raphael Guerreiro having previously been used as a number 10.

“You’ve watched the games where Raphael Guerreiro has also played in the number 10 role at times. The number 10 position and the full-back position have a lot in common for us when it comes to attacking,” he said.

Brown’s versatility is further enhanced by his experience of playing in midfield during his youth career. Although he is expected to remain primarily a full-back, Kompany believes his ability to cover different positions strengthens the squad.

“He’s slated to play as a full-back, but he can play in a whole host of other positions,” Kompany said. “We’ve got a strong squad; sometimes it’s better to have a few players who can play in multiple positions than to have more players in the squad.”

Bayern will therefore face Stuttgart with Musiala unavailable, while Karl and Saibari offer Kompany potential reinforcements as the club prepares for a busy run of matches in the coming weeks.