Bayern start life without Lewandowski in German Super Cup

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – JULY 23: Members of the Bayern Munich side arrive ahead of the pre-season friendly match between Bayern Munich and Manchester City at Lambeau Field on July 23, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Jamie Squire/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by JAMIE SQUIRE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Bayern Munich face RB Leizpig in the German Super Cup on Saturday in their first competitive match since the departure of Robert Lewandowski and with Sadio Mane in their ranks.

Julian Nagelsmann’s men, who were powered to a 10th straight Bundesliga title last season by Lewandowski’s 35 league goals, have been busy in the transfer market.

African player of the year Mane arrived from Liverpool after a trophy-laden six years with the Reds, while Netherlands centre-back Matthijs de Ligt joined from Juventus for 67 million euros ($68.2 million).

Ajax pair Noussair Mazraoui and Ryan Gravenberch have also signed for Bayern, while teenager Mathys Tel swapped Rennes for the Allianz Arena as a possible long-term replacement for Lewandowski.

The Pole left for Barcelona after scoring 344 goals for the Bavarians, second on their all-time list behind only Gerd Mueller.

But Nagelsmann believes that the deal, worth 45 million euros, was a good one for his club.

“It was a good deal for Bayern,” admitted Nagelsmann earlier this month. “It’s tough. He scored a lot of goals and was one of Bayern’s big stars.

“But he would’ve left anyway, if it wasn’t this season, it would’ve been the next one, so we would’ve had that challenge a year later and that’s why the deal isn’t so bad for Bayern.”

The German champions will have to adapt to life without a natural focal point up front.

Mane could play through the middle in a more fluid front three