Bayern vs PSG: Nagelsmann selects young defender to control Mbappe

The Bavarians will have to play without Benjamin Pavard in the upcoming game.

Julian Nagelsmann has confirmed Josip Stanisic will replace Benjamin Pavard in Bayern Munich’s lineup against Paris Saint-Germain.

Bayern snatched a 1-0 victory in the first leg, keeping PSG’s star-studded attacking line at bay.

The Parisians struggled to put Bayern under pressure for most of the game. But Kylian Mbappe’s arrival in the second half forced Bayern defenders to make more mistakes.

Pavard stopped a run from Lionel Messi with a foul that convinced the referee to send him off with a second yellow card. The Frenchman will miss the upcoming match at Allianz Arena, but Nagelsmann has already found his new right-back.

“I assume Stanišić will play, he had a bit of a thigh problem but was able to train,” the Bayern manager said on Tuesday.

“He’s very reliable, defends well, has good pace. He proved himself, he has the edge because Benji is suspended.”

Joao Cancelo is another option at the right-hand side of Bayern’s defence line. However, Nagelsmann’s tendency toward using a back-three system reduces the Spaniard’s chances of playing on Wednesday.

“We’ve been switching between both systems for a long time,” Nagelsmann said of choosing between back three and back four systems.

“In the first half of the season we played a back 4 for long. We are prepared for several variants tomorrow. It’s not about the system, but the division of space. We’re ready for everything.”