'Three key players' back
Sun, 01/08/2021, 17:25
Performance tests: Neuer, Müller and Kimmich start pre-season
The last EURO 2020 participants have reported back to FC Bayern! On Sunday, Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich and Thomas Müller, together with goalkeeper Christian Früchtl, completed their obligatory performance tests before beginning team training. Under the direction of chief scientist and head of fitness Prof. Dr. Holger Broich, the three Germany internationals went through a course in which reaction speed, jumping power and stamina were particularly tested.
Nagelsmann getting ‘three key players’ back
The trio can therefore already get back to training with their teammates on Monday, as Julian Nagelsmann’s squad continues to take shape. After Saturday evening’s concluding friendly against Napoli, the FCB boss explained that there were “still three key players missing”. Those three have now returned just in time for the last week of training before the start of the season.
See the images from the performance tests in our gallery:
The 34-year-old tactician is not concerned by the fact that his team’s last test before the opening competitive fixture against Bremer SV ended in defeat. In particular, the first 45 minutes, in which Robert Lewandowski, Leon Goretzka and Benjamin Pavard got their first action since the EURO, “were good”, in Nagelsmann’s words. On that basis and with three more players back, Bayern can work towards a successful start to the campaign in the coming days.
Get into the groove
“The lads have to rediscover their rhythm after the break, see a lot of the ball in training and then travel to Bremen for the DFB Cup game, and Gladbach shortly after that, with the required rhythm,” emphasised Nagelsmann. Just seven days after the first-round tie against fifth-tier Bremer SV, the German record champions go to Borussia Mönchengladbach for the Bundesliga curtain-raiser.
Robert Lewandowski was also in work on Sunday putting in an extra shift:
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