Renato Sanches has said he believes he has “arrived” at Bayern Munich after playing the full 90 minutes in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Augsburg.
Portugal international Sanches managed only 615 Bundesliga minutes in the 2016-17 season, his first at the club, and joined Swansea on loan last season.
Returning to Munich in the summer, Sanches got his chance after Corentin Tolisso suffered a knee injury, scoring at his old club Benfica in the Champions League.
“I have arrived. I feel the trust of the coach [Niko Kovac], my teammates and the staff,” he told reporters after the Augsburg game. “That’s incredibly important for me.
“I felt good and played a decent match, but I also wasted a few chances.”
Teammates Arjen Robben and Mats Hummels praised Sanches, with Robben also urging him to put more composure into his finishing.
“Renato has so much power, how he forces his way through with the ball,” he said. “I only told him that he often puts that force and pace into his shot. I don’t blame him, but it would good if he relaxed a bit and placed the shot.”
Hummels added: “He can be very important for us. He created nearly all of his chances by himself with his irresistible acceleration. But, sure, at the end of the day, the ball must hit the back of the net.”