German Media Split on Josip Stanišić's Bayern Performance

Josip Stanišić's performance in Bayern Munich's 2-1 win over Mainz in the ninth round of the Bundesliga this weekend drew sharply contrasting ratings from German media, with scores ranging from poor to satisfactory. The Croatian international started at left-back and played 67 minutes before being replaced by Alphonso Davies.

Bayern secured victory through goals from Joshua Kimmich and Lennart Karl, both assisted by Harry Kane, while Philipp Tietz scored a late consolation for Mainz in stoppage time. The match also raised injury concerns for Stanišić after a heavy challenge from Mainz defender Anthony Caci in the first half. According to German outlet 90min, the Croatian was heard shouting in pain and stayed down on the pitch, but he managed to continue playing with visible difficulty. There is no official confirmation yet on the severity of the injury or whether it was the reason for his substitution.

German media were divided in their assessments of Stanišić's display. HNA was highly critical, giving him a score of 5 (poor) in the German grading system where 1 is best and 6 is worst. The outlet pointed to several misplaced passes, warning that such lapses could be costly against stronger opposition. In contrast, Munich-based Abendzeitung awarded a 3 (satisfactory), praising his defensive stability and work rate on the left side, though noting he was less threatening going forward than usual. Specialist Bayern portal FCBInside also gave him a 3, highlighting a solid defensive showing.

Stanišić's substitution in the 67th minute brought Alphonso Davies on, and Bayern held on to stay top of the Bundesliga table. The Croatian's fitness will be closely monitored ahead of the upcoming national team gathering.