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FREEZING OUT: RAPHAëL GUERREIRO EYES BENFICA ESCAPE FROM BAYERN BENCH

Despite scoring vs. St. Pauli, Raphaël Guerreiro is unhappy with his limited starts under Kompany. Benfica, led by Mourinho, are keen to sign the Portuguese international and fan favourite in January.

Freezing Out: Raphaël Guerreiro Eyes Benfica Escape From Bayern Bench
Guerreiro Could Force January Bayern Exit

Raphaël Guerreiro was key in Bayern Munich's 3-1 victory over St. Pauli at the Allianz Arena this weekend. He kicked off Bayern’s scoring, which helped them to come back and win. Manager Vincent Kompany switched up the starting lineup a bit from the 3-1 Champions League loss to Arsenal, and Guerreiro was one of the changes.

So far this season, the Portuguese player, who can play left back or winger, has played in 13 games across all competitions, starting only five times. In the league, the St. Pauli game was just his second start. His other starts were in the Champions League against Pafos FC and Club Brugge, and in the DFB-Pokal first round against Wehen Wiesbaden. Even with Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito out (though Ito is back now), it seems Kompany prefers Tom Bischof at left back over Guerreiro.

Not too surprisingly, there’s talk that Guerreiro might leave Bayern as early as this winter. A BOLA, a Portuguese source, says Benfica is very interested in signing Guerreiro in January. Manager José Mourinho likes that he’s played at a high level in the Bundesliga, Champions League, and for the Portuguese national team.

Guerreiro has said before that he's a big Benfica fan. Moving there would likely mean he gets to play more often, especially with Ito back for Bayern and Davies getting closer to returning. When Davies is back, Guerreiro would be up against Davies, Bischof, Ito, and even Josip Stanišić, who’s played left back before, for playing time.

Even though Guerreiro doesn't start often for Kompany, Bayern appreciates him a lot. He’s proven he can step up when needed. But that might not stop him from wanting to leave, either this winter or next summer. His contract with Bayern lasts until June 2026, so he could also leave as a free agent if Bayern decides not to extend his contract.

KOMPANY'S IMPACT: SERGE GNABRY BACK TO TOP FORM, SET FOR NEW BAYERN DEAL

Serge Gnabry has regained top form under Vincent Kompany, scoring four and assisting five. He is now set to sign a two-year Bayern Munich contract extension despite taking a pay cut.

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Gnabry Commits to Bayern Despite January Interest, Talks Positive.

Vincent Kompany's work at Bayern Munich over the past year and a half has earned him praise across Europe. He brought stability to the team last season and helped them win the Bundesliga title again. The Belgian coach has also brought in an attractive style of play. It keeps the fans entertained while also getting the wins.

Besides the results and good football, Kompany has also managed to get the most out of players who were struggling before he got to Munich. Serge Gnabry is one player who fits this description. The German winger wasn't playing his best for a couple of months.

Gnabry was fighting for his place in Munich coming into this season, as he was in the last year of his contract. Now, four months into the new season, the German winger is close to a contract extension, having returned to top form under Kompany.

Florian Plettenberg from Sky Sports in Germany says Bayern is likely to offer Gnabry a two-year extension. The club is happy with how Gnabry has played this season. The player will need to take a pay cut to sign a new deal.

Serge Gnabry feels good after positive talks with Bayern.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Gnabry said he's had good talks with Bayern and isn't worried about his future.

If Bayern doesn’t extend his contract by the end of December, he can talk to other clubs about a free transfer in January. But Gnabry wants to stay in Munich, so he won’t be talking to other clubs during the winter transfer window. There was Premier League interest in Gnabry in the last two summer transfer windows.

Gnabry has scored four goals and has five assists in all competitions. He's done well in the number ten role behind Harry Kane. The team needed someone to step up after Jamal Musiala was injured during the Club World Cup in the summer, and Gnabry has been consistent in this role.

Looking forward, Gnabry might play less with Jamal Musiala back and Lennart Karl emerging. But his experience will be valuable for Bayern during a long season. With Gnabry willing to take a pay cut, giving him a new two-year deal would be a smart move by Bayern.

VINCENT KOMPANY WARNS BAYERN: SPORTING CP IS A COMPLETE TEAM, REQUIRES 100% EFFORT TO WIN UCL

Vincent Kompany praises Sporting CP as a "complete team" that defends well and counters quickly. He demands 100% effort from Bayern in the crucial UCL clash.

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Kompany warns Bayern Munich

Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich's coach, has watched Sporting CP's game film and knows they are a top team.

They're the kind of team that can cause Bayern Munich problems, so Kompany is going into the match with a lot of respect for them.

Kompany said, They are a complete team and defend very well. They're also dangerous on the counter. Their defence pushes up a lot. They pressed high against Benfica. They have good attacking players, and many with a great future. They are an exciting team. We have to be at 100%. Sporting are in the Champions League top eight for a good reason. The stats say maybe five wins and a draw would be enough, but I don’t want to think that way. We play at home tomorrow, and we’ve played two of our last three games here. If we win, we’ll be close to a top 8 spot, and things are looking good right now.”

Kompany has been rotating players more recently, but he won't explain his strategy in detail.

It depends on the players’ form or the opponent; it changes. I don’t talk about it much; it’s about trusting the guys. When we win, people talk about personnel, and that’s okay. I like that. "We have competition, and I like that," Kompany said. Manu (Neuer) will play tomorrow. But Jonas Urbig is a very good young German goalkeeper. Manu has played very well this season, but Jonas has gotten and will get his chances. He did well against Stuttgart. Everything is going according to plan.

I want to talk to Alphonso Davies again after this, but he might be in the squad tomorrow. If the game is close, which I expect against Sporting, he probably won’t play much. But he’ll probably get some time this week. Anything before Christmas is a bonus.”

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