Despite Gravenberch's undeniable technical abilities, displacing the established hierarchy at the Allianz Arena proved to be an impossible task. The midfield was firmly controlled by the seasoned double-pivot of Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich, leaving very little room for the new arrival to secure consistent minutes. Furthermore, the emergence of youth prospect Aleksandar Pavlović added even more competition to a crowded midfield, severely limiting the Dutchman's opportunities to shine from the start.
Nagelsmann was clear about the reality of the situation and the specific expectations placed on the young midfielder. "Ryan Gravenberch is a top-class player, he already was at Bayern, but the situation was very complicated for him after his transfer from Ajax," the former Bayern coach explained to Kicker. "Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich were ahead of him in the pecking order, and I had also promoted Aleksandar Pavlović. Ryan’s task was to step up his game in the last 20 minutes."