The players are still on vacation, but activity long ago returned to the Säbener Strasse performance centre, as the kitmen and ground staff have been busily preparing for Tuesday’s first pre-season training session. Balls, boots, ropes and cones are ready and the new training kit distributed. The kit has also been personalised, as the squad numbers for the new campaign have now been finalised.
There are no changes for any of the players retained from last season’s squad. For example, Philipp Lahm will still wear number 21, Franck Ribéry the number 7, David Alaba the number 27 and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk his favoured number 44, which remains the highest shirt number in the squad.
Dante follows Schwarzenbeck
The club’s summer signings have naturally all been assigned new numbers – although in the case of Claudio Pizarro it is a return to familiar territory. The Peruvian wore the number 14 in his first spell with Bayern from 2001 to 2007 and has now reclaimed it on his return. Centre-back Dante has been assigned the number 4 previously worn by greats such as Katsche Schwarzenbeck, Sammy Kuffour and Thomas Linke.
Xherdan Shaqiri will wear the number 11, following on from the likes of Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Stefan Effenberg and Ivica Olic. In the tradition established by a number of previous back-up keepers, including Jörg Butt, Bernd Dreher and Michael Rensing, Tom Starke has opted for the number 22.
Weiser follows Hargreaves
Talented youngster Mitchell Weiser may be hoping for good luck and inspiration from the number 23 once worn by Owen Hargreaves, with reserve keeper Lukas Raeder choosing the number 32 previously favoured by Mats Hummels. For the two players promoted from the FCB junior team youth section, midfield gem Emre Can takes the number 36, and striker Patrick Weihrauch has the number 20, as once proudly worn by Hasan Salihamidzic.
Click HERE for the 2012/13 squad list with numbers and player profiles.
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