Midfielder Renato Sanches endured a tough debut for Bayern Munich but captain Phillipp Lahm is convinced he can be a key man for the Bavarian giants in the coming years.

Sanches was handed a start by Carlo Ancelotti on Friday at Schalke but gave away possession on a number of occasions and was replaced on 71 minutes by Joshua Kimmich with the score at 0-0.

Bayern ran out 2-0 winners, with Kimmich scoring the second, and Sanches may well have to wait for his next start after an uninspiring debut.

The 35million euro capture from Benfica replaced Arturo Vidal on Friday following the international break but the Chilean should be restored when Bayern take on Russia’s Rostov in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Lahm, however, remains confident Sanches has the class to be a top player for Bayern and offered the Portugal international his full support.

“He’s a very, very good player,” Lahm said, as reported by ESPN. “Otherwise he wouldn’t be here. He’s a European champion and will definitely be an asset to us in the future.”

Bayern are 4.75 to win the Champions League outright and 2.50 to beat Rostov with a -3 handicap on Tuesday.

Robert Lewandowski is 3.10 to open the scoring against the Russian outfit, Vidal is 5.50 and 21-year-old Kimmich is 5.00 to score at anytime after netting his first for Bayern at Schalke.