Bayern Munich won’t use fatigue as an excuse

With a compact and grinding schedule, it is only natural that Bayern Munich players might be hitting a wall. The squad’s extended, treble-winning run last season led directly into a new campaign jam-packed with games and it is clear that the boys could use a bit of a respite.

Like any true champion, though, the Bavarians will not complain about the workload and will continue to trudge forward no matter how weary their collective legs get.

“I am definitely very tired,” said Leon Goretzka (as captured by Sport Bild), who will — ironically — miss the game tomorrow to be rested. “I heard our coach say that we don’t use being tired as an excuse. That’s why I won’t use that as an excuse.”

While Goretzka acknowledged that this season has been difficult, Thomas Müller knows that to achieve the goals they have as a team, this battle with fatigue is just part of the process.

“In autumn everything becomes a little more unpleasant,” said Müller about the integration of DFB-Pokal fixtures and Champions League matches into the game schedule. “But it is nice to get through these unpleasant moments. Every team that wants to be at the top in the end has to get over it.”

With barely any rest after a tough match against VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, Bayern Munich will face off with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League tomorrow. How much Flick rotates his squad will surely be a focal point of most fans.

We already know that Robert Lewandowski, Manuel Neuer, and Goretzka will be held out to rest tomorrow. Meanwhile, Corentin Tolisso will also miss the match.

What Flick’s lineup will look like could be fascinating. Check back later this morning for our best guess at how things will shape up!