Bayern rocked before Der Klassiker: Josip Stanišić still not in team training, set to miss Dortmund

Josip Stanišić has yet to rejoin Bayern Munich’s group sessions and only completed individual work on the grass today, a clear indicator he’s highly unlikely to make the squad for the looming showdown with Borussia Dortmund. For a defender prized for his intelligence, timing and versatility at right-back and centre-back, this delay guts Bayern’s rotation options. From the opposition’s vantage point, this is a timely boost: without Stanišić’s 1v1 calm and aerial reliability, Bayern’s back line looks thinner, more improvisational, and easier to stress in wide-to-halfspace transitions. Despite murmurs of a quick return post-international break, the signs scream: not yet, not close.

German outlets report that Stanišić completed only individualized pitch work at Bayern’s Säbener Straße today and has still not resumed full team training. The timing is brutal with Der Klassiker approaching, and internal expectations of a short turnaround have cooled. Separate reporting indicates Alphonso Davies’ rehab is progressing strongly, but that does not offset the defensive depth issue at right-back/centre-back created by Stanišić’s absence.

Josip Stanišić has yet to resume team training and only worked individually on the pitch today. He's unlikely to be available in time against Dortmund [@BILD]

@iMiaSanMia

Impact Analysis

From a tactical lens, this is exactly the weak seam Dortmund wanted to tug at. Stanišić offers Bayern a rare blend: clean footwork under pressure, proactive positioning to shut lanes, and the discipline to pinch in as a third centre-back when the full-back on the opposite side bombs on. Without him, Bayern lose a plug-and-play stabilizer who allows Vincent Kompany to switch shapes mid-phase—particularly the 4-2-3-1 sliding into a 3-2 rest defense against counters.

In his absence, Bayern must lean harder on less ideal fits or overplay regulars already carrying minutes. That undermines their aerial control and horizontal compactness when defending switches. Dortmund’s wide threats, constantly darting from touchline to halfspace, can now test Bayern’s weaker shoulder with repeated diagonal runs, cut-backs, and late surges from the second line. Expect Julian Brandt to knit those patterns, while Niclas Füllkrug attacks any mismatches on the back post.

Psychologically, the message is equally damaging: pre-Klassiker uncertainty forces Bayern to dilute their prep into contingency drills rather than sharpening a settled back four. Contrast that with Dortmund’s ability to tailor rotations explicitly to exploit the right corridor. For a fixture decided on fine details, the loss of a detail-obsessed defender like Stanišić tilts the margins away from Munich.

Reaction

Social channels lit up with a predictable split. The optimistic crowd, who had banked on a near-certain return after the international break, voiced frustration—“wasn’t he 99.99% slated to be back by now?” Others struck a pragmatic tone: one or two more games on the sidelines is no tragedy if the player returns fully fit for the season’s grind; the league is a marathon, not a sprint. A separate pocket of fans pivoted to brighter news about Alphonso Davies, celebrating reports that his rehab is surging and that team training is imminent.

There was also the usual noise that derails threads—off-topic grandstanding and tangents that had nothing to do with Bayern’s defensive depth. But the core discourse held: supporters worry about depth at right-back and the chain reaction on the central pairing, while rival fans smell vulnerability and talk openly about flooding Bayern’s right channel with runners.

The overarching sentiment? Weariness at mixed signals from inside Munich and impatience with the opaque injury timelines, countered by a pragmatic faction urging caution: better a measured return than a relapse that costs Bayern months, not weeks.

Social reactions

Entscheidend ist, dass er gesund zurückkommt. Ein weiteres Spiel Pause ist kein Drama. Die Meisterschaft ist schließlich ein Marathon, kein Sprint.

Mr. Sketch (@landauer_kurt)

Er sollte doch zu 99,99% nach der LSP zurück sein?

♤ BavariaAngel⁰⁵ (@kalinchev37967)

Alphonso Davies is making big progress in his rehab. A return in team training is now imminent []

Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia)

Prediction

Reading the tea leaves of individualized sessions, it’s hard to buy the rosy timelines. If Stanišić is still confined to solo work this close to Dortmund, the most realistic scenario is a staggered progression: controlled reintroduction to partial team drills next week, then an internal match load, then a bench cameo—at best. In practical terms, that pushes a meaningful, risk-free return into the later part of next month.

Short term, Kompany is likely to patch the flank with role compromises: a natural full-back asked to stay narrower and deeper, or a centre-back shunted wide to build with three in possession. Expect conservative triggers on the right, fewer overlapping bursts, and more emphasis on rest-defense integrity rather than vertical aggression.

For Dortmund, the script is simple: aim runs from the wing into the right halfspace, drag the covering six, and then flip the ball into the weak-side channel. If Bayern over-correct, gaps will open centrally for late arrivals. Unless Stanišić clears multiple thresholds rapidly—team training, contact, and sprint metrics—he shouldn’t be rushed. The smart money says his full competitive rhythm returns only after a gradual, multi-game ramp-up.

Latest today

• Marseille push for Endrick loan from Real Madrid as De Zerbi identifies ideal fit Marseille push for Endrick loan from Real Madrid as De Zerbi identifies ideal fit
• Winter Squeeze: Fixture Congestion Triggers Injury Spike; Arsenal Trio in Focus Winter Squeeze: Fixture Congestion Triggers Injury Spike; Arsenal Trio in Focus
• Alphonso Davies ‘imminent’ return to team training? Rival view: not so fast Alphonso Davies ‘imminent’ return to team training? Rival view: not so fast
• Barcelona sweat Huijsen fitness for El Clásico as Madrid smell blood Barcelona sweat Huijsen fitness for El Clásico as Madrid smell blood

Conclusion

Strip away the spin and the picture is plain: Bayern will likely face their fiercest domestic rival without their most adaptable defensive plug. Stanišić’s absence removes a chess piece that lets Kompany morph structures without sacrificing balance. In a Klassiker decided by transitions and timing, that’s not a cosmetic loss; it’s structural.

From the opposition’s perspective, the target zone is obvious and the cues are rehearsable. Until Bayern either accelerate a trusted replacement’s integration or welcome Stanišić back at full tilt, they’ll be playing with a thinner margin of error down the right. Fans may cling to optimistic whispers, but the cadence of individualized training says what needs saying. Patience might spare Bayern a longer absence later, yet it does nothing to rescue them this weekend. Advantage Dortmund, unless Munich unearths a flawless stopgap, fast.