When Stars Go Missing: How Davies and Musiala’s Absence Hits Bayern Hard
A data-driven look at just how impactful Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala have been—and what the Bavarians lose without them.
Introduction
Injuries often shape the narrative of football’s biggest nights. Heading into the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Inter, Bayern Munich find themselves without two of their brightest stars: Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala.
Both players have been critical to Bayern’s identity, Davies with his relentless ball progression from deep and Musiala with his creative spark and goal threat in tight spaces.
This piece will explore, using data and visualizations, just how vital these two players are to Bayern’s system. We’ll break down their percentile profiles, discuss similar players, and show what makes them so difficult to replace.
Alphonso Davies – The Relentless Engine on the Left
Alphonso Davies continues to redefine what it means to be an attacking full-back in modern football. The Canadian international remains an explosive presence down the left flank, combining raw pace, technical flair, and tactical maturity. His percentile chart from the 2024-25 Bundesliga season highlights just how dominant he’s been in multiple areas.
When you look at Alphonso Davies’ radar, it’s immediately clear why his absence ahead of Bayern’s clash with Inter is such a major blow. There are very few, if any, defenders in Europe who match his level of consistent output across as many high-impact metrics.
🔵 Ball Carrying Supremacy
Davies is untouchable when it comes to carrying the ball. He ranks in the 100th percentile for:
Progressive Carries
Carries into Final Third
Carries into Penalty Area
That trifecta speaks to his trademark explosiveness and ability to break lines by himself — often turning defense into attack within seconds. He also sits in the 93rd percentile for Carries per 90, reinforcing how often Bayern lean on him to progress the ball.
🔴 Offensive Creation as a Defender
Davies isn’t just a runner — he’s a creative hub. His radar shows:
100th percentile in Through Ball Passes
99th in Shot-Creating Actions
98th in Goal-Creating Actions
96th in Key Passes per 90
Those are playmaker numbers. For a fullback, this level of influence in the final third is outrageous. He’s more than a traditional wide outlet — he’s a source of final product.
🟠 Attacking Touches & Involvement
What puts Davies in a league of his own is how deep into the pitch he consistently operates:
99th percentile in Progressive Passes Received
99th in Touches in the Attacking Third
98th in Touches in the Penalty Area
It’s rare to see a defender receive the ball in such advanced positions that frequently. Davies essentially plays as a wide forward in Bayern’s possession structure.
🛡️ Ball Winning & Dribbling
On top of it all:
99th percentile in Successful Take-Ons
99th in Take-Ons Attempted
Davies is one of the few fullbacks who can take players on regularly and win those duels — giving Bayern that rare 1v1 outlet from deep or in wide overloads.
Similar Profiles – But Still Unique
Using cosine similarity analysis on top-five league defenders, Alphonso Davies’ closest statistical match is Nuno Mendes (97%) — a fellow explosive full-back known for his high-tempo ball progression. He's closely followed by Vanderson, Kyle Walker-Peters, and Theo Hernández — all dynamic, forward-thinking defenders who mirror Davies’ technical dribbling and offensive positioning.
But here's the crucial distinction: volume and efficiency. While others may approach Davies' style, very few can replicate how consistently he delivers across such a wide range of metrics — and almost none with the same success rate. Whether it’s deep carries, final third output, or 1v1 duels, Davies doesn’t just do it often — he does it better.
Musiala’s Percentile Profile: A Complete Attacking Midfielder
Jamal Musiala’s radar is nothing short of elite. His 2024–25 profile shows a player operating at the absolute peak of attacking midfield performance in Europe’s top five leagues — a unique blend of flair, precision, and end product.
🔫 Finishing Prowess
Musiala ranks in the 100th percentile for Goals per 90, Non-Penalty Goals, xG, and Non-Penalty xG. That tells us he’s not just a scorer — he’s relentlessly getting into elite scoring positions and finishing them off. The underlying data confirms this is no fluke; he’s combining volume with quality.
🎯 Playmaking Excellence
Sitting at the 99th percentile for Goals + Assists per 90 and Expected Assists, he’s producing at a rate few can match. He’s not just a threat himself — he elevates those around him, constantly supplying high-value chances.
🪄 Take-On King
Musiala maxes out at 100th percentile for Take-Ons Attempted, Take-Ons Completed, and Take-Ons per 90. These dribbling stats illustrate his press-resistance, 1v1 dominance, and ability to carve open defenses without needing support.
📦 Box Penetration Machine
His 100th percentile rating for Carries into the Penalty Area and Touches in the Attacking Penalty Area confirms his role as a box threat — he gets on the ball in the most dangerous zones and stays there.
In short, Musiala is not just eye-catching — he’s ruthlessly effective. A midfielder who can score like a forward, dribble like a winger, and create like a No. 10. With numbers like these, you understand just how much of a blow his absence could be.
Similar Players: Stars Who Mirror Musiala’s Style
Using cosine similarity to compare midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues, Musiala’s statistical profile aligns with an impressive array of modern attacking creators.
Morgan Gibbs-White (96%) and Hamed Junior Traorè (94.7%) lead the list — players known for their blend of ball progression, end product, and attacking zone presence. They mirror Musiala’s ability to break lines and contribute directly to goals.
Names like Xavi Simons, James Maddison, and Cole Palmer follow closely — all elite in the hybrid 8/10 role. These players excel in occupying the half-spaces, threading key passes, and contributing with goals. They live in the same tactical pockets as Musiala, thriving off their technical finesse and spatial awareness.
Most notably, Jude Bellingham (90.5%) also appears — a fascinating inclusion. While the stylistic differences are clear, the impact zones and attacking efficiency of both players make them generational midfielders in their own right.
What elevates Musiala above the rest, however, is his balance. He combines:
Elite dribbling (100th percentile take-ons),
Elite finishing (100th percentile non-penalty goals),
Elite creativity (99th percentile assists).
Few players — if any — maintain that level across all three areas. His absence leaves a massive creative and scoring void for Bayern, one that's not easily replicated by any peer.
The Missing Pieces — Why Davies & Musiala's Absence Matters
As Bayern Munich prepare for a crucial clash in the Champions League, the absence of Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala looms large — and not just in terms of quality, but identity.
Davies is more than a full-back; he’s an offensive engine, a transition outlet, and a progressive force few defenders can emulate. His blend of high-volume carries, dynamic take-ons, and attacking third impact gives Bayern a unique verticality from deep. In his absence, Josip Stanišić is expected to step in — a player fresh off a title-winning campaign at Leverkusen, known for his defensive intelligence and discipline. But Stanišić is a different mold: not a natural left-back, and certainly not one to burst forward with the same flair. He'll offer balance and control — but not the chaos that Davies thrives in.
Meanwhile, Musiala’s injury creates a creative vacuum. He isn’t just Bayern’s most technically gifted dribbler — he’s also their primary conduit in tight spaces and a proven scorer in big moments. The responsibility will likely fall to Thomas Müller, who, in what could be his final months at the club, has a chance to script a fairytale farewell. The Raumdeuter’s experience and sense of occasion are invaluable — but replicating Musiala’s all-action dynamism is a tall order, especially at this stage of his career.
Together, these two absences strip Bayern of their most explosive ball progressor and their most versatile attacking hub. It doesn’t mean Bayern can’t win — but it does mean they’ll need to adapt, lean on their depth, and hope for moments of brilliance from unexpected sources.
Conclusion
While Bayern Munich remain one of the most talent-stacked teams in Europe, the absence of Davies and Musiala strips away two of their most dynamic, game-breaking options. Players like Joshua Kimmich will need to take on greater tactical responsibility, ensuring balance and control in the middle. The likes of Leroy Sané, Michael Olise, and of course Harry Kane — who’s enjoying a prolific campaign — must now carry the creative and finishing burden. With that firepower, Bayern still have individual match-winners. But navigating through the Champions League won’t be a walk in the park. Without Davies bombing down the flank or Musiala weaving through traffic, it’s not just about replacing talent — it’s about reconfiguring rhythm, identity, and spontaneity.