Bayern Munich head into the second half of November as Bundesliga leaders, level on 21 points with Borussia Dortmund after nine games, but the mood around the club is increasingly shaped by an injury list that keeps growing. Alphonso Davies is the latest concern, having limped off after just five minutes of Canada's CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final against Guatemala with a suspected muscular injury. It is a familiar and frustrating pattern for the left-back, who has battled muscular problems ever since his serious knee injury in March 2025. The timing is poor, with Bayern already without Luis Diaz, Jamal Musiala, Ismael Saibari and Serge Gnabry, though Musiala and Diaz are expected to return after the international break.

Off the pitch, the club is managing its own internal turbulence. Scouting chief Nils Schmadtke will leave at the end of January, and youth scouting coordinator Florian Zahn has now also departed, marking two significant exits from the recruitment structure within weeks. How Bayern handle the succession planning, reportedly to be resolved internally, will matter as they look to strengthen the squad next summer, with a left-winger to support Diaz identified as the primary transfer target.

Manuel Neuer's latest foot injury adds another layer of uncertainty, with the 40-year-old goalkeeper expected to retire at the end of the season. Bayern host FC Koeln in the Bundesliga on November 20, a fixture they will be expected to win as they look to maintain their grip on top spot.