FC Bayern Munich, News and Rumours - "That’s a bit of an understatement": This FCB star is massively underrated, according to Stefan Effenberg

Former FC Bayern Munich professional Stefan Effenberg has highlighted the defensive contribution to the club’s current success. In doing so, he emphasised, among other things, the importance of Josip Stanisic, whilst the headlines usually tend to focus on the attacking stars such as Harry Kane, Michael Olise and others.

“That tends to get overlooked: when I see a Stanisic having an outstanding season, whether on the right or left flank, when I see how Laimer is performing, those are ultimately the building blocks that make FC Bayern even stronger,” said Effenberg on Sunday on Sport1’s ‘Doppelpass’. Stanisic has frequently featured in Bayern’s starting line-up so far this season, having already made 30 appearances. The 25-year-old defender has contributed to ten goals directly (three goals, seven assists). Among other things, Stanisic stands out for his versatility, able to play in central defence as well as in both full-back positions.

Konrad Laimer is equally important to Bayern’s strong season and, like Stanisic, impresses above all with his work rate and flexibility. The Austrian has made 34 appearances so far in the 2025/26 season as either a right-back or left-back (three goals, nine assists).

Laimer and Stanisic have also “become a solid unit” alongside the centre-back duo of Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah, praised Effenberg. Bayern have “not always” had such defensive reliability “at Champions League level in recent years”, said the 57-year-old, who won the Champions League with Bayern in 2001.

The FCB are aiming to triumph in the Champions League again this year and lift the trophy for the first time since 2020. Effenberg cannot pick a clear favourite for Bayern’s quarter-final clash with Real Madrid in April: “For me, it’s a contest between equals; it really comes down to who’s on form on the day.”

Lothar Matthäus, a record-breaking Germany international, is more optimistic than others about Bayern Munich’s chances of progressing from the Champions League quarter-finals against Real Madrid.

“I am convinced that Bayern Munich are the best team in Europe over the course of the entire season – not just domestically, but also in international competition,” Matthäus said on Sunday on Sky90. Although it could "get dangerous for Bayern" if Real were to build on their performance from the two round of 16 matches against Manchester City (3-0, 2-1), Matthäus clearly rates FCB as stronger than City.

"Bayern are a cut above Manchester City because they play as a team. They are hungry. They used to score the most goals and pick up the most points. Nowadays, they also cover the most ground – that wasn’t FC Bayern’s strength in the past," praised Matthäus. The German record champions are therefore "favourites in this tie against Real Madrid – especially as the second leg takes place at the Allianz Arena."

On 7 April, Bayern will first travel to Madrid for the first leg of the quarter-final, with Real hosting the return leg in Munich eight days later. Should Bayern prevail, the next giant of European football – either Paris Saint-Germain or Liverpool – would await them in the Champions League semi-finals.

Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich is hoping to enjoy a successful World Cup with the German national team this summer, following a string of disappointments in recent years.

“Fortunately, you find ways to deal with defeats and disappointments,” said Kimmich in an interview with SWR about the bitter early exit at the 2022 World Cup. In any case, he has experienced “very, very many tournaments” with the DFB team “that weren’t good”.

Kimmich made his international debut shortly before Euro 2016; the subsequent European Championship in France went well, with the team reaching the semi-finals, and in 2017 the Bayern star was part of the DFB squad that won the Confederations Cup. “After that, to be honest, it was very, very thin on the ground. Especially at a World Cup, I’ve never reached the knockout stages,” emphasised Kimmich, whose first World Cup in 2018 also ended very early with elimination in the group stage.

Between the two World Cup finals, Kimmich and Germany were knocked out in the round of 16 at Euro 2021, whilst at Euro 2024 their run came to a very unfortunate end in the quarter-finals against eventual European champions Spain. The home tournament had been “okay”, “but we were still knocked out in the quarter-finals. Consequently, there are still very big goals with the DFB team – although we know, of course, that everything has to go very well if we want to go for it,” said Kimmich.

The upcoming friendlies in Switzerland (27 March) and against Ghana (30 March) are “very important”, emphasised the DFB captain. “The last few international matches haven’t been consistently positive, so every game does us good. I believe that with more matches, the squad will grow even closer together." Although the clubs are entering the decisive phase of the season following the two matches with the national team, no one should hold back, warned the 31-year-old against complacency: "It is unacceptable for anyone not to be up for playing an international match. It’s something very special to play for Germany. That’s why we all have to turn up and be raring to go! We have to be keen to develop as a team so we can make our mark at the World Cup.”

The World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada kicks off for Kimmich and his teammates on 14 June with their first group match against Curaçao. Germany’s other group stage opponents are then the Ivory Coast (20 June) and Ecuador (25 June).

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