Dortmund (Germany) (AFP)

"Kaiser Franck" Ribéry left, Bayern Munich faces Saturday (8.30pm) Dortmund in Supercup of Germany, to write the first page of a new story whose Musketeers could be the quartet of French international Coman, Tolisso, Pavard and Hernandez .

If all will not play on Saturday, Kingsley Coman and three world champions Corentin Tolisso, Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez embody the future of the Bavarian club, highly rejuvenated but heckled last year by Borussia in the Bundesliga and eliminated in the round of 16 of the Champions League.

"French football has distinguished itself in recent years by its excellent technical and tactical training," said sports director Hasan Salihamidzic, who has worked to recruit this season Pavard (Stuttgart) and Hernandez (Atletico Madrid), 23 years old all two.

Before them, five Frenchmen had worn the colors of the "Rekordmeister": Papin, Lizarazu, Sagnol, Ismaël and of course Ribery, become in 12 seasons an idol of the Allianz Arena.

The Bavarian club continues its love affair with the Blues, investing 135 million on the Pavard-Hernandez duo, including 80 on the former Colchonero, now the most expensive player in the club's history. A record held so far by a certain Corentin Tolisso (41 million).

- Lahm's number -

"It's up to me to do + taf +, to show the leaders and supporters that these 80 million euros are well invested," said Hernandez soberly during its presentation in early July.

The club has already honored him by handing him the number 21, that of legend Philippe Lahm, left vacant since the defender's retirement in 2017. The former Atletico, operated late March right knee and should miss the beginning of season, is eventually called to become holder in Bavaria.

"He's fast, tough, plays aggressively and wins a lot of duels - in a way he's like Bixente Lizarazu, who could play both central and side defender," Willy Sagnol analysis in Kicker magazine.

His buddy Benjamin Pavard, even if he "is not afraid to evolve in Bayern", must confirm after a complicated season and the relegation of his former club Stuttgart in the second division.

His ability to evolve into defense in "any position", like his teammate Hernandez, offers coach Nico Kovac a wide range of possibilities to compose his rearguard.

- Coman the old -

"Benjamin will bring his iron will and his thirst for titles," says Salihamidzic. Important for a club that runs after the Champions League since 2013 and whose national hegemony does not hide the relative decline on the European scene.

In the middle, Kovac will be able to count on Tolisso, who is celebrating his 25th birthday on Saturday and entering his third season at Bayern, but who missed almost all of last season due to a cruciate ligament rupture of one knee.

The former Lyonnais will have much to do in a well-supplied midfielder and should compete with the German international Leon Goretzka for a titular spot.

As for Coman, he serves as an old, who begins at 23 years his fifth season at Bayern. Regarded as the natural successor of Ribery, he has seen his career so far undermined by repeated injuries and must still prevail at the highest European level.

Remaining nine months almost without playing in 2018 because of two injuries to the left ankle, the Parisian was out of the field Wednesday night suffered a blow to one knee in preparation match against Tottenham. But he had to resume training on Friday and be available Saturday in Dortmund.

The last ten winners of the German Super Cup, which opposes Borussia Dortmund (second in the Bundesliga) and Bayern Munich, winner of the double-cut championship on Saturday, are in Dortmund.

2018: Bayern Munich

2017: Bayern Munich

2016: Bayern Munich

2015: VfL Wolfsburg

2014: Borussia Dortmund

2013: Borussia Dortmund

2012: Bayern Munich

2011: FC Schalke 04

2010: Bayern Munich

2009: Werder Bremen

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