Manuel Neuer and Serge Gnabry doubtful starters for Bayern Munich against Freiburg

Neuer, 39, has been affected by illness this week and has missed training. "We'll have to see about Manuel Neuer. He had a bit of a cold and didn't train.â¯Hopefully he'll be involved today," Kompany said in the Friday morning press conference.

Gnabry returned from Germany duty with a twinge and the Bavarian side are pessimistic about his chances. "Serge returned from international duty and still felt a twinge. We'll see, he probably won't be back for Freiburg. We're hoping for the game after that," Kompany added.

On a brighter note, Bayern's Joshua Kimmich has fully recovered from his ankle problem and Hiroki Ito is set to reâ‘join the squad. "It's not all negative, there are also some good things," Kompany stressed.

The timing of these concerns is significant. Bayern head into the weekend leading the Bundesliga after ten matches with 28 points, nine wins and a single draw, cementing their status at the summit. On the other side, Freiburg sit 10th in the table on 13 points and will be eager to upset the top side on their home turf.

The fitness of Neuer and Gnabry will influence Kompany's team selection and tactics. If Neuer is unavailable, Bayern may have to rely on their backup in goal, a scenario that adds extra pressure in a highâ‘stakes fixture. Meanwhile, if Gnabry is missing, the attacking dynamic will shift, placing greater responsibility on other forwards.

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