Julian Nagelsmann has warned against approaching the last Bundesliga game before the World Cup with caution for fear of injuries.

“Keeping the focus and greed up in the Bundesliga also helps in preparation for the World Cup.

Not to mention the injury prevention of playing the games with 100 percent excitement,” said the FC Bayern Munich coach before the away game against FC Schalke 04 on Saturday (6.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky).

"It makes sense for us and for the players who want to be ready and successful at the World Cup."

Munich, who will go into the World Cup break as leaders, will have to do without the injured Senegalese Sadio Mané in Gelsenkirchen.

Nagelsmann left open on Friday whether he can play at the World Cup.

"In the end there will be a medical situation and diagnosis in 10 days after the follow-up examination and then we'll see what comes out," said the Bayern coach.

Mané had suffered an injury to his right fibula head.

Africa's footballer of the year is still in Senegal's World Cup squad.

He does not know where the follow-up examination will take place, said Nagelsmann.

“In general, an early deployment after an injury is always critical.

It's clear that Senegal would like him to play.

If he has problems and can't play, he can't play.

The medical things are then already above the sporting ones. ”The health of the player is more important, that is no different with Mané than with any other player.

Nagelsmann warns of a fallacy

Thomas Müller will also not be used a week before the start of the tournament in the league so that he can recover from his injuries.

The Dutchman Matthijs de Ligt is expected back after his knee problems and should get match practice before the World Cup.

Canadian Alphonso Davies will also be absent after a muscle injury.

He wants to recover in Munich and then travel to the national team.

All in all, the last matchday before the World Cup is mentally different for the stars.

"Of course, the psychological situation is not easy, but it is the same for many teams," said Nagelsmann.

"There is a lot of research that if you go into the game with the necessary tension, then you also have a lower risk of injury."

But of course something could always happen, as was the case with Mané when he was substituted early on in the game against Werder Bremen.

But a World Cup participant can also injure himself in training after he has been reluctant to go full throttle again.

"It's a fallacy to say that I'll do everything a bit more relaxed, I'll protect my body, I won't risk any injury and I'll focus on the World Cup," said Nagelsmann.

Regarding the course of the season so far, he said: "It was a turbulent half-year, one of the most turbulent in my professional life so far." Nevertheless, Nagelsmann drew a positive interim balance and emphasized: If we won this Saturday, "we did a good job in all three competitions , not a perfect one, but a good one.”