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Focus on improvement
The coach of a team, in collaboration with a player and the skills.lab coaches Oskar Kretzinger and Maximilian Luckner, determines the focus area for improvement, such as finishing accuracy or improvement of spatial awareness.
skills.lab Arena at FC Bayern Campus
Shaping Individual Talent
At the FC Bayern Campus, the skills.lab Arena has become a central tool in shaping the next generation — combining data, training, and innovation.
Where innovation meets player development.
The Arena at the FC Bayern Campus
Opened in December 2020, the skills.lab Arena at the FC Bayern Campus serves around 250 players from youth teams, the U23s, and all women’s teams. Operated by the department Match Analysis and Innovation, it enables systematic and measurable individual development at one of the world’s leading clubs.
The Method
Identification and development
In today’s transfer market, developing top talent in-house has never been more important. By using the skills.lab Arena, FC Bayern creates the conditions to bring through more homegrown players who can perform at the absolute top level.
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Targeted training blocks
Then, the player participates in weekly 60-minute training sessions with a skills.lab coach in the Arena over a period of 6–8 weeks, focusing on the selected area for improvement.
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Comprehensive screening
In addition, every player undergoes a comprehensive screening twice a year using the club’s specific diagnostic modules .
„Five years ago, we were unable to objectively map a player’s performance in terms of their technical and cognitive abilities. Now we can make football more measurable with data. In addition, we can effectively improve a player in individual training in the Arena through a clear focus and many repetitions in a short period of time.
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Oskar Kretzinger
Leading Expert skills.lab Arena, FC Bayern Campus
„The training in the skills.lab Arena is incredibly motivating. It inspires you to spend even more time improving. It’s a place where you’re constantly driven to be your best and can challenge each other to push further.
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Josip Stanišić
FC Bayern Professional and former Campus player
The Result
Screening Data Lead to Better Decisions
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Objective Evaluation
The biannual screenings show the technical and cognitive capacity of each player. This data is used to evaluate players regardless of their chronological age, ensuring that no talent goes undiscovered.
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Progress Tracking
The continuous collection of data from all Campus players allows comparisons to be made on a number of levels, such as personal development over time or direct comparison with teammates.
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Benchmarking Talent
The development of top players serves as a benchmark for younger talents to see what it takes to make the final step
How data revealed the true potential of a top talent.
Overcoming the Biological Bias
During his time at the FC Bayern Campus, Aleksandar Pavlović was often among the smallest players physically. Yet the data from the skills.lab Arena already showed that his technical and cognitive abilities were exceptional. Trusting these insights, the Campus staff gave him time for his physical development to catch up — a perfect example of how objective data can counter biological bias and support smarter talent decisions.
„I was a late bloomer and was always the smallest player between the ages of 15 and 17, that is why I never played for a national team until I was 20. So I was forced to find quick footballing solutions early on.
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Aleksandar Pavlović
FC Bayern professional and former Campus player
„Aleks had some physical development to do over the years, but in his data, we always saw his footballing intelligence, his bilaterality of feet and his overall basic technique. To get this knowledge, combined with the efficient training possibilities, makes the skills.lab Arena incredibly valuable for us.
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Jochen Sauer
Director of Youth Development and Campus, FC Bayern
