Mario Basler names player who is ‘completely out of shape’ and should be dropped from Bayern Munich line-up amid Bundesliga giants’ poor form

Former Bayern Munich midfielder Mario Basler has urged the club to drop Thomas Muller from their line-up, arguing that the German is completely out of shape.

German champions Bayern Munich have endured a difficult start to their 2022-23 Bundesliga campaign. Julian Nagelsmann’s team have only picked up 12 points from seven league matches, winning thrice, drawing thrice, and losing once. Leading up to the international break, Bayern dropped points in four consecutive matches and slipped to fifth position in the league standings.

Basler, who scored in the 1999 Champions League final defeat to Manchester United (3-2), claimed that seniority had clouded Nagelsmann’s judgment. The German claimed that stalwart Muller was not fit to start any more games for Bayern, urging Nagelsmann to pick Serge Gnabry in his place. Speaking to German outlet tz, Basler slammed Muller, saying:

“A Thomas Müller who is completely out of shape — out with him!”

“Nagelsmann should give Serge Gnabry a chance and not always just those who have been at Bayern for 20 years.”

Muller has featured in all seven Bundesliga games for Bayern Munich this season, scoring once and claiming two assists. Gnabry, on the other hand, has scored two goals and provided two assists in seven Bundesliga matches this term.

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Mario Basler claims Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan is better than Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller

After urging Nagelsmann to drop Muller, Basler proceeded to question the merit of Muller’s presence on the German national team. Basler claimed Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan was a better player and backed Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane, and Kai Havertz to start ahead of Muller at the 2022 World Cup.

Basler continued on tz:

“In terms of football, Ilkay Gündogan is a class better than Thomas Müller.”

He added:

“Musiala and Sané have to play, Kai Havertz is also up front for me. I think Müller’s form at the World Cup, in big games, isn’t what it used to be.”

The 2014 World Cup winner has featured in 116 games for Germany in all competitions so far, scoring 44 goals and providing 40 assists. Muller has a phenomenal record at the World Cup, with him netting 10 times and claiming six assists in 16 appearances thus far.