Borussia Dortmund star Maximilian Beier is all set for his first appearance post the 2026 FIFA World Cup tomorrow when his side takes on FC Tokyo.
The BVB Evonik Japan Tour reaches its conclusion on Saturday with their second and final match of the trip and it's going to be special for reasons more than one.
Firstly, Die Schwarzgelben are set to welcome back five of their first-team stars who participated in the World Cup, including Beier himself.
Secondly, the forward will be reunited with one of his former teammates Sei Muroya, the captain of FC Tokyo tomorrow when their teams play each other.
The pair shared a dressing room at Hannover 96 from 2021 to 2023 and came together for a photo during their practice session inside the National Stadium today.
But there won't be any love lost between the friends tomorrow as Beier revealed he will be looking to give his former Hannover teammate a run for his money.
"“We got along really well back then. He’s a very good right back who can be quite aggressive. I’ll try to put a little pressure on him and make life as difficult as possible for him.""he said at a pre-match press conference
However, it's not clear yet if Beier is going to start the match or if head coach Niko Kovac plans to bring him off the bench in the second half.
But, we're guaranteed to see him at some point with managing director Lars Ricken revealing after their last game that the World Cup players will return for this one.
Should the 23-year-old start, he is most likely to take up the place at the right wing-back instead of his usual right wing position with Julian Ryerson still on vacation.
As for Muroya, the FC Tokyo skipper left some purple prose for Beier in his own comments to the press, recalling the German to be a bright young prospect during their Hannover days.
"“Maxi was still a teenager, but you could already tell he had a lot of talent. It’s no surprise that he’s come this far. But I’ll try to make sure he doesn’t get past me tomorrow. I know from my time in Germany what kind of club Dortmund is, and I don’t want to lose.”"he said
FC Tokyo vs Borussia Dortmund kicks off at the Japan National Stadium on 1 August at 11AM (CET).
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