Bayern Munich are heading into their Champions League tie against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday with a double fitness concern, following a dominant 6-2 Bundesliga victory over SC Freiburg at the Allianz Arena.
The German champions looked to be in trouble early on as Freiburg took a surprising 2-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes, both goals coming from set-piece corners. However, Bayern quickly turned the game around, with Lennart Karl scoring in the 22nd minute before assisting Michael Olise for the equaliser in stoppage time of the first half. The pair’s interplay set the tone for a commanding second-half performance.
Unanswered goals from Dayot Upamecano, Nicolas Jackson, Harry Kane, and a second for Olise saw Bayern cruise to a 6-2 victory. Manager Vincent Kompany was able to rotate key players, keeping his squad fresh ahead of the crucial midweek European fixture.
Bayern’s other fitness concern comes in the form of Serge Gnabry, who missed the Freiburg match due to an injury sustained during international duty with Germany. Eberl expressed cautious optimism regarding the winger’s availability: “We’re optimistic about Gnabry being fit on time to face Arsenal,” he said.
Gnabry last featured in Bayern’s 2-2 draw against Union Berlin prior to the international break and also started both of Germany’s World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg and Slovakia, helping secure direct qualification for the 2026 tournament.
Kompany may be forced to rely on both Karl and Gnabry in his starting lineup against Mikel Arteta’s side, particularly with Luis Díaz suspended for three matches following a red card in Bayern’s 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain.
With Arsenal looming on the horizon, Bayern Munich will be hoping that their key players can return to full fitness in time to bolster their Champions League campaign.
