Bayern Munich open their competitive season tonight at Signal Iduna Park, where they face Borussia Dortmund in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, but the build-up has been dominated by concern over Jamal Musiala. The 23-year-old collapsed twice during pre-season tests against RB Leipzig and FC Heidenheim, and has since publicly confirmed a diagnosis of absence epilepsy caused by a neurological dysfunction. Coach Vincent Kompany confirmed Musiala will not feature tonight, with the club adjusting his medication and keeping him on individual training to allow a pressure-free adaptation. Kompany was notably upbeat about what he saw before each episode, saying Musiala was performing at a level above his teammates in those brief minutes. Bayern expect him back for the Bundesliga opener against VfB Stuttgart next Friday.

Beyond Musiala, Bayern carry strong momentum into the Supercup as Double winners, having beaten Heidenheim 4-2 in their final pre-season test. Harry Kane, fresh from winning the Golden Boot and widely considered a Ballon d'Or contender, is back in training after his extended World Cup break. Contract talks with the club are progressing, with the main sticking point being duration: Bayern want two years, Kane wants three.

In the transfer market, sporting director Max Eberl confirmed that João Palhinha's departure is close, with Benfica the likely destination at a fee of around 14 million euros, a significant loss on the 51 million Bayern paid for him two years ago. Leon Goretzka, whose contract expired in June, is in talks with Aston Villa over a Premier League move.