So far, Joao Palhinha has played just 29 minutes of football since joining Bayern Munich for a reported 51 million. When will his playing time increase?
After their move for Joao Palhinha fell through on deadline day in the summer of 2023, Bayern Munich finally brought the Portugal international to Germany from Fulham for a reported €51 million during the summer transfer window.
However, the 29-year-old hasn’t exactly hit the ground running at his new club, appearing in two of their three games and playing just 29 minutes.
As reported by Kicker, there are two reasons why Palhinha has yet to break into the starting line-up.
Firstly, new Bayern coach Vincent Kompany sees Kimmich in a more central role, and rising star Aleksandar Pavlovic has so far been selected as his midfield partner after a strong 2023/24 season.
Second, Bayern have yet to face an attacking team – and that is where Palhinha will really be needed. Against Ulm, Wolfsburg and Freiburg, Kompany saw no need to field a defensive enforcer in midfield.
Once Bayern start playing in the Champions League, they will face more attack-minded teams, and Kompany will need to rotate more. Palhinha’s importance should increase as a result.
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