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Chris Richards makes Bayern’s first-team squad for the first time

Chris Richards has enjoyed a standout season with Bayern Munich’s second team, Bayern II in the German third division, and his efforts have been rewarded with his first call up to Bayern’s first team.

Richards has been included in Bayern’s matchday squad for its Bundesliga clash with Werder Bremen on Tuesday, a match that could clinch the Bundesliga title for Bayern.

The 20-year-old American central defender has enjoyed a rapid rise at Bayern since transferring from FC Dallas to the German champions a year ago. The Alabama native starred for the United States at last summer’s Under-20 World Cup, and carried the momentum from that success into a promotion from Bayern’s U-19 team to Bayern’s reserve team.

If Richards can earn his Bundesliga debut, he would join a growing list of Americans to play in the Bundesliga in recent years, including Borussia Dortmund prospect Gio Reyna, who has become a first-team regular for Dortmund at the age of 17.

Richards has played for Bayern’s first team in exhibition matches, including in the 2018 International Champions Cup, where he played his first professional matches while still only on loan to Bayern from FC Dallas.

Comments

  1. A guy on Twitter who claimed to have family in Munich (so pretty sketchy source here) said the local papers are saying he’ll be loaned out next season with an eye on a return to Munich in a year or two. That would follow Alaba’s career path but Bayern doesn’t have a lot of players on the current roster that have come through their system.

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  2. Now that Bayern has clinched the title, maybe he will get at least a sub appearance in one of the last two games.

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  3. Bout time…. but I’ll save my excitement, when he’s getting consistent 1st team minutes. #HooversFinest

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    • As someone who lived in the Gump and Auburn combined for like 7 years, super proud. Previously the only decent player out of Alabama was the kid who went to UCLA and played a few games for the Union, Chandler Hoffman.

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    • Central defense is a very difficult position to break into as CB’s are so rarely replaced in a game. It’s especially difficult for a young player at such a high profile club.
      I expect he’ll get a cameo appearance or two in the remaining games, but will likely have to be loaned out next season to have a real chance at consistent 1st team minutes.
      If he does well on loan he’ll have an opportunity to maybe fight for minutes the following season with Bayern’s 1st team….or be loaned out again if Bayern buys some new CBs.

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