Badstuber's Back And On Track, But The Destination Remains Unclear

Holger Badstuber returned from a long injury absence last Friday. With a lot of work ahead, the question remains as to whether he'll be the same player.

"I'm just grateful. I'm enjoying every minute of being back on the pitch." Grateful is perhaps an understatement for Holger Badstuber's return to action. The Bayern Munich defender suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in a home game against Borussia Dortmund (1-1) at the start of December 2012 and then, with his recovery on course, the 25-year-old suffered a second tear.



Last Friday, against a fan club team in Memmingen, his home town, Badstuber returned to action for the first time in 594 days. After 58 minutes, he left the field visibly tired but with a smile. He was playing football again. The 11,000 fans stood in acknowledgement, while the millions who read of his return raised a smile in admiration.



Nineteen months injured is a long time in any sport. In football, it's enough to make you disappear. In the 2009/10 season, Badstuber played in all but one of the 34 league games. He had his moments of panic, but the in 11/12 season, he was hailed as one of the most exciting central defensive options in the country.



Then, at the start of their treble campaign, disaster struck. His teammates held his shirt aloft ahead of the Champions League game against BATE Borisov - the one directly after his injury. The same feat followed after their final victory against Dortmund. "It gave me a lot of strength," said Badstuber.



Strength is what he needed too because, had he not suffered this injury, there's little doubt that he would have been a World Cup winner this year. Instead, the left-footed defender has endured grueling rehabilitation and likely more than a few dark moments. On top of that, his club has changed manager, style and football's evolution leaves him with some catching up to do.



"Every game, every training exercise adds to my certainty. I have a lot of work to do to get back to where I was." His grounded approach has served him well this far and the defender is well aware of just how much work lies ahead.



Badstuber will take confidence from the fact that he's exactly the type of defender that Guardiola likes. He can spread the play, long or short, and being left footed is a huge advantage. Given Guardiola's preference for possession based play, Badstuber will be confident that his current skill will help him to no end when it comes to adapting to the new scheme.



The biggest question is, though, can he get there? Pep Guardiola's overhaul of Bayern Munich's style has seen a number of things change and as much as Badstuber's development will continue, there are now new factors the defender will have to contend with - increased positional versatility, increased possession and enhanced concentration levels - if he is to return to his defensive spot.



Even more important than the tactical changes, is whether Badstuber is in fact the same player. After that length of time out and the sensitive nature of the injury in question, doubts hover over his flexibility and confidence. Top level medical staff and facilities combined with Badstuber's sheer determination have seen him come this far, but that won't remove the fear. A torn knee ligament is one thing, but to do it twice demands a special will to return.



A loan move would be a sensible option, particularly given the demanding nature of Bayern's squad. Jerome Boateng is, after his World Cup, Bayern's best central defender. Dante and the reformed Javi Martinez will most likely battle it out for the other position. Those three aside, the club are defensively thin. It's perhaps too early to suggest that the 3-5-2 formation against Memmingen is an indication of what is to come, but it is far less speculative to imagine Guardiola recruiting another defender.



If that is the case, then a loan move becomes almost a certainty for Badstuber. The concept of a temporary move away also perhaps increases the likelihood of Badstuber's Bavarian days being numbered, but being a local lad may help tilt the balance.



If he stays, then he will likely make a tentative return to Bayern's team. Either way, as pleasing as Badstuber's return is, he needs more time. Time to recover, but also time to answer the questions that will define the shape of his future footballing career.