At first glance, it seems as though Bayern Munich has hired a new player to wear the number 18 shirt, but the fact is that he himself is Leon Goritska, who managed to make the best use of the layoff by spending a lot of time in his gym and developing himself, to become the model of the shifting player to the best.
Throughout the two-month hiatus due to the Coruna virus epidemic, Goritska succeeded in improving the muscular structure of his body and became more dynamic, forming an essential component of the Bavarian team coached by coach Hansi Flick.
Goritska revealed that he worked hard to develop his fitness during the downtime in which players were forced to train in their homes, under the supervision of coach Hansi Flick and his assistive device through video calling over the Internet.
Goritska participated in the starting line-up, and was a prominent element in all four matches Bayern have won since the resumption of competitions on 16 last month, and during the last three games it succeeded in bridging the absence of injured Thiago Alcantara, in the midfield.
Goritska, 25, joined Bayern from Schalke in 2018 in a free transfer, following his coronation with the German national team in the Confederations Cup 2017.
But Goritska, who has so far participated in 25 caps, has spent an uneasy period at Allianz Arena with his injuries.
This season, Goritska mainly participated in only 8 of the 25 matches played by the team before the competitions ceased last March, but it appears that he is now on his way to participating regularly in the basic formation of Bayern's star-studded midfield.
Goritska has a variety of capabilities, which support the team's capabilities, as it can play in more than one center, including the playmaker.
Flick said that Tiago and Goretska play their role a little differently, as the Spaniard is characterized by his skills and ability to read the match, while Goritska's strength lies in his movements and his ability to penetrate into the penalty area.
"One of my strengths is posing a risk from the midfield. I tried to show this during my participation," Goritska said.
Goritska scored four goals this season, the last of which was two weeks ago in a match Bayern beat Eintracht Frankfurt 5-2.