Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to Use Denmark as Stepping Stone for Bayern Munich Success
There’s very little chance of Danish star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg starting this new season as anything but a Bayern Munich player. But there are still plenty of things that can affect the manner in which he returns to the Munich side.
Hojbjerg left the club under a cloud of turmoil in January when a loan move to Bundesliga side Augsburg brought a string of public outbursts about first-team football to an abrupt halt. After a few parting shots at the German champions, the 19-year-old got his head down and did a solid job for the remaining half of the season.
Yet, although the Danish international may have a fan in Bayern coach Pep Guardiola—the former Barcelona coach had initially hoped to embed the central midfielder in his team from day one in Munich and never wanted to send him on loan last season—he will still have to work hard to find a bright future in Bavaria.
Fortunately for the talented starlet, a competition has popped up this summer that could showcase for Hojbjerg exactly what Bayern may need next season. The U21 European Championships are about to begin, and the Bayern star is almost certainly set to shine.
Although Jess Thorup’s side are full of quality—Ajax’s Viktor Fischer and Pione Sisto of FC Midtjylland to name but two—and confidence going in to the summer competition, Denmark wouldn’t exactly be labelled favourites for the competition.
In fact, they don’t even come close to the likes of Germany, England and Portugal at the local bookmakers, having only ever reached as far as the semi-finals once, in 1992. Yet, this year may be different.
Hojbjerg comes in to this side as something of a leader with experience that puts him head and shoulders above his fellow teammates. Not only has the 19-year-old already made a number of first appearances for Bayern, but he also played for his nation’s first team seven times since his first call-up in May of last year.
He also has the quality to lead a team. From the centre of midfield, Hojbjerg has long been compared to Bastian Schweinsteiger through the manner in which he can stick a shoulder in or tackle in, as well as a lofted pass or exquisite touch. This kid comes to dominate the middle of the park by either passing and dribbling around his opponent or by simply going through them.
As a box-to-box midfielder, Hojbjerg will be expected to be the very engine that drives Denmark on this summer. Sure, others will chip in with goals and assists along the way, but it will be this Bundesliga prospect who should pick up most of the plaudits should Thorup’s side overcome hosts Czech Republic on Wednesday and then favourites Germany on Saturday.
Fortunately for the confident youngster, the Bayern he returns to after the summer may not be as formidable as the one that felt his talents were surplus to requirements in January. The midfield trio of Xabi Alonso, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm are far from the unblemished unit that forced Hojbjerg out last season. Similarly, their alternatives—most likely David Alaba and Thiago Alcantara—may be preferred in other areas of the team when not out injured.
In truth, Guardiola will be well aware just how much his side need a fresh approach in the middle of the pitch in this coming season. The days of Schweinsteiger and Lahm dominating this side may not quite have come to pass just yet, but Hojbjerg could certainly start asking questions from the bench, at first, if he returns to Munich in August ready to hit the ground running.
Before such a prospect can come into full view stands an international competition that Hojbjerg can tackle and really sink his teeth into. Denmark may be hoping to cause a few upsets, make it out of their group and reach the later stages of the competition, but their best player has his sights set on something much, much bigger.
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