After Bayern Munich's 4-1 away victory over Osnabrück in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, Sports Director Freund was interviewed by numerous media outlets in the mixed zone. This article covers the second half of the interview.

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{Freund: Conceded an early goal, indeed a close call; Browne also performed exceptionally well in midfield}

We also saw the performance in midfield…

Yes, very good. Tom (Bischof) is a very talented player who feels extremely comfortable in our possession play and overall team cooperation. At the same time, he also won many crucial defensive duels and was extremely effective in winning back the ball, which greatly alleviates pressure on our defense and is very beneficial to the team. Moreover, he is also a threat in attack, and today he scored a beautiful goal with his weaker right foot. I'm really pleased for him, because I think he always delivers convincing performances whenever the team needs him. He will definitely get significant playing time this season and play important matches for us.

How do you think he is settling in with the team overall right now? You mentioned he would get a lot of playing time, but he actually performed very well in pre-season and only received a few minutes as a substitute in the first two official matches. His playing time has been limited so far…

Yes, I think we will have many matches to play this season. We currently have three high-quality defensive midfielders, or players capable of playing in a double pivot. In addition to the two starting positions in this role, we also have several young players who can step up at any time. However, I believe we absolutely need such strong squad depth and talent in this position. Therefore, I'm not at all worried that he won't get enough playing time throughout the season. This is only the third match, and today was his first start this season. His pre-season performances were good, and we are very pleased to have such a high-caliber player in our squad.

Speaking of competition and the pecking order, Alex (S. Pavlovic) has been extremely strong with the team for his second or third season, and Tom is also a German international currently on an excellent upward trajectory. He is a left-footed player, while our other two defensive midfielders are right-footed, which creates a perfect combination. I think this is an excellent blend, and they will motivate and improve each other.

The transfer window in Germany has now closed, but Sacha Boey remains at Bayern Munich. What is the current situation? Given that the transfer markets in some other countries are still open, there has been considerable speculation about his future…

Yes, the time remaining until the transfer window closes is indeed getting shorter. We will see if anything else happens. At this point, no one can give a definitive answer.

If he ultimately stays with the team, how will Bayern treat him?

Of course, we will treat him fairly and professionally, because he has been extremely professional during this period and shown a very good attitude. He performed well in pre-season, demonstrated good form, and always trained hard and with full focus—there is nothing to criticize.

So will he return to regular team training?

Yes, absolutely. His absence from team training was entirely the result of communication and discussion with Sacha himself, because if a transfer were to happen later, he didn't want to risk accidental injury beforehand. Apart from this precautionary measure, there is absolutely no other issue between us.

You recently announced publicly that the club has decided to include Hiroki Ito in the plans for the new season, despite previously stating that if a suitable offer was received, he could choose to leave. Can you explain this change in stance? And how does the club currently plan to use him?

Hiroki Ito is a very important player, and after a long recovery, he has finally regained full fitness. Therefore, letting him leave was never our primary wish. Our previous stance was that if there were an exceptional and very attractive offer, and if he himself expressed a desire to try a new challenge, then we would sit down and evaluate the situation. But that was never a topic requiring extensive internal discussion at the club.

In last Friday's match, Ismael Saibari announced his return with an excellent performance after coming on as a substitute, but today his involvement seemed less than that of his attacking teammates. Following his injury, to what extent has he recovered his physical condition and match fitness?

Yes, after his injury, he is currently gradually regaining his form. In terms of physical fitness and stamina, he certainly hasn't recovered to 100%, but he feels very comfortable now. The whole team can see the special abilities he possesses, and I thought he still had some very strong, bright moments in today's match.

Today wasn't an easy game, but he made sharp attacking runs repeatedly, which was really helpful for our offense. He held the ball well on the pitch, and he could have scored one or two goals; he had two or three excellent shooting opportunities. Therefore, he is definitely on a very good recovery path.

What about the other absent player, Musiala? How is he following the team's current matches? In your opinion, when is it realistic for him to return? Is Saturday possible?

As we have always said, we must assess his injury day by day and monitor his recovery progress. We will not take any risks. Beyond that, like other injured or absent players, he is closely following every match and supporting the team. Today he should be watching the match on television, cheering on his teammates.

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