Hansi Flick has promised Bayern Munich will look to keep Jamal Musiala after the teenage midfielder was linked with a Premier League move. 

The England Under-21 player has entered the last 18 months of his youth contract with the Champions League winners and, after a major first-team breakthrough this season, he stands to be offered professional terms. 

That could mean a bumper pay deal, with Bayern eager to retain Musiala for the long term. 

However, reports have claimed Manchester United and Liverpool are among the clubs that have an eye on Musiala, who at 17 has scored three times in 13 Bundesliga appearances this term. 

Only two of those appearances have been starts, and the youngster has impressed head coach Flick whenever he has been deployed. 

Speaking in a news conference on Friday, Flick said: "Jamal has enormous qualities. 

"He can find good one-on-one solutions and is self-confident. Even if he misses the pass every now and then. He's got the quality to play off the opponent and create options for the team. 

"Bayern Munich are clearly interested in retaining him for longer." 

Musiala, who was born in Stuttgart, joined Bayern from Chelsea in July 2019.

Robert Lewandowski was brought off in the second half of Bayern Munich's edgy 1-0 victory against Augsburg as a precaution, head coach Hansi Flick confirmed.

Lewandowski scored the 13th-minute penalty that ultimately secured the three points for Bundesliga champions Bayern at the Augsburg Arena on Wednesday.

However, superstar striker Lewandowski was substituted after 67 minutes and Bayern were left grateful for a spot-kick miss from Alfred Finnbogason midweek.

Flick explained the surprising decision was because Lewandowski has been managing an issue with his thigh.

"[It was] to be on the safe side because Robert is very important to us. We didn't want to take any risks," Flick said in quotes reported by SID.

"He already said this morning that he could feel something in the thigh muscles on the back, but [he felt] that he could control it quite well."

Bayern were brilliant in the opening period but struggled in the second half in a theme of only playing well in patches that has become rather familiar in recent weeks.

Back-to-back wins and a first clean sheet since October followed a loss to Borussia Monchengladbach and a shock DFB-Pokal exit to second-tier Holsten Kiel, with Bayern's performances well below their best.

Flick, though, said even a team like Bayern – who won a superb treble in 2019-20 – can hit a "limit" in what has been a testing period.

"The team played an outstanding year, at some point they too are at their limit," he added to Sky Germany, with Bayern four points clear atop the table. 

"It was a bit of luck against Freiburg in the end, but very important. We [wanted] to add more today and take three points with us to Munich."

Serge Gnabry did not suffer a serious injury during Bayern Munich's 2-1 victory over Freiburg, Hansi Flick has confirmed.

Germany international Gnabry sat out last weekend's loss to Borussia Monchengladbach with a shin problem but played 90 minutes in the shock penalty shoot-out loss to Holstein Kiel in the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday.

He had to be replaced after 28 minutes at the Allianz Arena on Sunday but Flick is not expecting to be without the winger for a prolonged period.

"The injury is not serious, I have heard from the doctors. The muscle in his back cramped up," said the Bayern boss.

Bayern were leading when Gnabry departed thanks to Robert Lewandowski's 21st goal of the season, a record for the first half of a Bundesliga season, surpassing Gerd Muller's 20 in 1968-69.

Nils Petersen equalised for Freiburg in the 62nd minute, scoring just 28 seconds after coming on as a substitute. His Bundesliga record for goals after being subbed on now stands at 28.

But Leroy Sane, who replaced Gnabry in the first half, set up Thomas Muller - who registered his 125th top-flight assist on Lewandowski's opener - for the winner.

Sane was also on target against Kiel and Flick has been pleased to see him improving after a tough start to life with Bayern following his move from Manchester City.

"I don't like singling out individual players but he did very well and did things the team would like to see from him," said Flick.

"We saw good development. He proved today that he is always good for an assist or a goal."

With RB Leipzig having been held to a 2-2 draw by Wolfsburg on Saturday, reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern opened up a four-point lead at the summit.

Flick said: "I'm not interested in the table at the moment. We have to look at ourselves and be focused on Augsburg and Schalke as we are today.

"It's good to have achieved a four-point lead, that is extremely important. For us, only our results count."

Hansi Flick wants every member of his Bayern Munich team to work on turning their defensive struggles around as they prepare for a dangerous Bundesliga clash with in-form Freiburg.

Bayern saw their hopes of a second successive treble ended on Wednesday as they suffered a shock DFB-Pokal exit at the hands of 2. Bundesliga promotion challengers Holstein Kiel.

They conceded a 95th-minute equaliser to make it 2-2 at the end of normal time, with the second-tier side going on to prevail 6-5 on penalties.

Flick's side have not kept a clean sheet since the Champions League win over Lokomotiv Moscow on December 9, while the second of just two shutouts in the Bundesliga came back in the 5-0 defeat of Eintracht Frankfurt on October 24.

Bayern have faced the fifth-fewest total shots in the Bundesliga (160) but have conceded the sixth-most goals with 24, that total 12 more than the league leaders' closest challengers, RB Leipzig, who could have leapfrogged the Bavarian giants by the time Freiburg visit the Allianz Arena on Sunday.

Freiburg have won five successive league games and are second in the Bundesliga in 'big chance' conversion rate (58.33 per cent), so Bayern can ill-afford to present them with the kind of opportunities they have afforded their opponents all too often in 2020-21.

"It's going to be an intense game, Freiburg is known for that type of football. They're scoring a lot of goals," Flick said during a media conference on Friday.

"It's going to be about us and how we play in defence. It's down to us, the disappointment we had to digest pretty quickly, we have to make the best out of the situation now.

"The whole team is under pressure in defence, it's not only the back four. We're not getting enough pressure on to the ball, not as much as we used to."

Adding that Bayern's remarkable treble-winning efforts of last season were "not normal", Flick said: "I did expect us to experience a bit of a slump a little earlier but my team showed incredible mentality and we made it to the top of the table before the winter break.

"The engine isn't running smoothly, on Wednesday we experienced it in the most brutal fashion.

"We're making it too easy for the opponents to make chances, we have to be in better positions, we have to defend together.

"It's our job and it's our expectation to get back on top."

Bayern Munich's shock DFB-Pokal loss to Holstein Kiel left Hansi Flick "very disappointed" but the head coach insisted the German and European champions must move on.

DFB-Pokal holders Bayern sensationally crashed out in the second round on Wednesday, stunned 6-5 on penalties following a 2-2 draw against second-tier Kiel after extra time.

A 95th-minute equaliser thwarted Bayern, who were on the brink of the last 16 thanks to Leroy Sane's sublime free-kick at Holstein-Stadion, where Serge Gnabry's opener had been cancelled out by Fin Bartels.

After Bayern substitute Marc Roca was denied by Ioannis Gelios, Bartels stepped up to complete the remarkable upset – the Bundesliga and Champions League holders beaten in a penalty shoot-out against a lower-tier side in the DFB-Pokal for only the second time after 2000.

"It's a shock of course. We're very disappointed, we wanted to defend the treble. Taken altogether it was down to details, the team showed great spirit," Flick said.

"We were dominant, which was our aim. It's very annoying that we conceded the equaliser in the last second. We must congratulate Kiel, they made it a real cup fight, they were completely committed. We must put it behind us and improve.

"We must be more compact at the back. We must apply more pressure and be more solid when it comes to balls over the top.

"It's surprising, that's what the cup is like. Kiel defended well, their keeper turned in an outstanding performance. It just happens in penalty shoot-outs, I don't blame Roca."

For the first time in more than 12 years, Bayern were forced into extra time against a lower-tier team in the DFB-Pokal after Kiel captain Hauke Wahl struck at the death.

Bayern star Thomas Muller added: "At the end of the day we lost against the underdogs from Kiel. It may sound silly after such a defeat but lady luck wasn't really on our side today.

"We had a pretty good feeling in the first half and played decently. We had good chances, we combined well, we enjoyed more of the ball. Kiel gave it their all. It was certainly a good performance from their point of view.

"It wasn't an upset that was looming from the off. We made mistakes when it came to the details and Kiel were pretty clinical, as they were in the shoot-out."

Hansi Flick says Bayern Munich must be wary of a Holstein Kiel side with "nothing to lose" when they meet in the second round of the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday.

Holders Bayern will travel to Holstein-Stadion smarting from squandering a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 against Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga last Friday.

Kiel are third in 2. Bundesliga and will be eyeing a shock when they take on the European champions for the first time.

Bayern head coach Flick, who is set to welcome the fit-again Serge Gnabry back into his squad, warned the Bavarian giants will be in for a battle against the second-tier side.

He said in a press conference on Tuesday: "Holstein Kiel have got nothing to lose.

"I follow them closely, I know Uwe Stover very well and I've known him for a long time, so naturally I follow their progress more closely.

"Their team has strengthened a lot - they have a clear plan and they like to attack."

Flick added: "We will be taking this task seriously. We are expected to win this game, but it's not always possible to meet these expectations."

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting misses out with a back injury, while Kingsley Coman will not be risked as Flick revealed the winger is "feeling some discomfort in his muscles." 

Flick will not make a decision on who will make the trip to Kiel until the day of the game.

"We will train as normal on Wednesday ahead of the game, then we will decide who is to travel to Kiel with us," he said.

"There are a lot of games at the moment and we're spending a lot of time in hotels, which is why we're not traveling until matchday."

Bayern Munich fell victim to a "brutally effective" Borussia Monchengladbach in their humbling 3-2 defeat on Friday, according to Hansi Flick.

Robert Lewandowski's penalty – his 20th Bundesliga goal of the season – and a fine strike from Leon Goretzka put Bayern in control of the Bundesliga clash at Borussia-Park inside 26 minutes.

However, a wayward pass from Benjamin Pavard led to a quick break that finished with Jonas Hofmann scoring, and the Gladbach midfielder was played onside by Niklas Sule as he doubled his tally before half-time after Joshua Kimmich was caught in possession by Lars Stindl.

Sule then gave the ball to Hofmann inside his own half four minutes after the restart and Florian Neuhaus subsequently atoned for conceding the first-half spot-kick with a bizarre handball by netting the winner.

Gladbach consequently became the first team since Cologne in February 2011 to beat Bayern in a Bundesliga game after falling 2-0 down.

"We had hoped for a different ending to this game and expected it, but in the end we were punished. We lost the ball unnecessarily three times and the opposition was brutally effective in finishing those chances," Flick told a post-match news conference.

"When you ask me how to prevent that, on the one hand you have to keep the mistakes to a minimum, or avoid them, and on the other hand you have to cover your deep positions twice.

"We suffered similar situations on their first two goals. Hofmann went deep from midfield and we moved forward too quickly and opened the centre without covering the deep position, and with the second we should have kept going and covering the positions.

"That shouldn't happen and it's not a nice situation to be in, but a defeat, even if it's Bayern Munich, is part of the game. In the second half the team tried everything to achieve a positive result but unfortunately it didn't work."

Manuel Neuer has now conceded in 10 straight Bundesliga games for the first time in his career, with Bayern letting in 16 goals since their last clean sheet against Eintracht Frankfurt on October 24.

Bayern have conceded 24 goals through 15 matches in the top flight this season, the most they have shipped at this point of a Bundesliga campaign since 1981-82.

Flick added: "I've said it a few times, we are making too many mistakes. You can't deny that the team tried to win.

"We had to fight today, we knew it would be a difficult game. Don't forget [Gladbach] is a team that played in the Champions League against top opposition and prevailed, so we needed this compact team performance and we showed – with the exception of these three situations.

"But of course, we're not satisfied with the result. We all know we need to show even more concentration in our defensive work in the crucial moments. We have to cover the deep positions and that's the challenge we have, and we have to improve in the coming weeks."

Bayern are back in action against 2. Bundesliga side Holstein Kiel in the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday.

Hansi Flick has told his Bayern Munich stars to show "a different attitude from the start" as he bids to achieve a feat only Pep Guardiola has achieved before.

On Friday evening, Flick can reach 100 points from his first 39 Bundesliga games in charge of the Bavarian giants, needing a win at Borussia Monchengladbach to hit that landmark.

But head coach Flick is unwilling to tolerate any repeat of the shaky first-half performance that saw his team trail Mainz 2-0 on Sunday, before turning the game around to register a 5-2 win.

Guardiola, who joined Bayern ahead of the 2013-14 season, brought up his century of points in the same number of games.

That saw Guardiola lead Bayern to a championship with 90 points before beginning the following season with three wins and two draws.

The Manchester City boss amassed 101 points from his first 39 Bundesliga matches, the first Bayern head coach to achieve a three-figure points haul so quickly.

Flick knows if he is to add an immediate three points to his current 97 points, the European champions will need to pull their weight.

"We have addressed it very clearly and want to go into the game with a different attitude and dynamic," Flick said on Thursday in a pre-match news conference.

"We want to be more present in the duels. We can't just hope for Manu [goalkeeper Manuel Neuer] at the back.

"We need a different attitude from the start. We have to show what we are capable of. The team have this mentality. Gladbach have high individual quality and great tempo."

Flick's side have scored 119 goals in their 38 league games during his tenure, winning 31 times, drawing four and losing only three times.

But there is no certainty they will get the better of Gladbach, having lost to the Foals in the first half of the season in each of the last three campaigns before winning the reverse game.

Indeed, Bayern have only won 13 of 52 previous away games against Friday's opponents, losing 21 times and drawing on 18 occasions.

Flick's recent record in Friday night games bodes well for Bayern.

They began this season with an 8-0 thrashing of Schalke on a Friday, and their previous Friday game was the 8-2 humbling of Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Bayern have won 16 of their last 20 Friday games in all competitions (D3 L1), Opta said.

Hansi Flick has ruled out Bayern Munich making any major signings in the January transfer window.

The head coach said on Thursday there was a chance of "one or two" players leaving the European champions.

But in terms of arrivals, Flick said it was important he did not press the club to bring in new faces during a "very difficult" period.

Like all clubs, Bayern's finances have taken a hit, largely because of the absence of supporters from stadiums during the COVID-19 crisis.

"Let me be very clear about this: the current situation affects all clubs in the world," Flick said.

"It's not an easy situation with corona. I'd like to be clear: I don't want to demand new players. I know the situation at Bayern Munich; I know it's very difficult at the moment.

"The squad we have here at our disposal is the squad we'll have until the end of the season.

"I'm not sure if one or two might still transfer. There are certain things that have been talked about, but currently we have very good quality in our squad and I don't think our goals are in jeopardy."

Speaking ahead of Friday's Bundesliga trip to face Borussia Monchengladbach, Flick claimed leaders Bayern "still have room for improvement".

"The team knows it and every single player knows it," Flick said.

Scoring 44 goals in 14 league games has pleased Flick but shipping 21 at this early stage of the campaign is a concern.

"We have to work on that," he said. "It's not about the defence in particular. It's conceding no goals, keeping clean sheets, defending.

"In order to do that you have to have a compact defence and order and organisation with which you pressure the opponent and that's what we have to improve on."

Flick was asked whether Joshua Zirkzee may be on the move, with the 19-year-old on the fringes of the Bayern squad.

He responded: "At the moment I am not aware of any departures, but everything can always go quickly.

"Zirkzee has tremendous qualities and can develop well. He was out of training for a few weeks. He will get games, also with the under-23s. He can take a lot from the professionals, but then he has to show what he can do with the under-23s and put himself at the service of the team. He is good in front of goal, has strong technique and good dynamics."

Bayern have a doubt over Serge Gnabry for the Gladbach game after he was substituted with a knock in the 5-2 win over Mainz on Sunday, Flick saying the forward is "still in pain".