Mario Gotze is facing an uphill battle to make his mark at Bayern Munich, and is at risk of emulating the failure experienced by Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski in Bavaria, according to former Borussia Dortmund star Marcel Raducanu, reports Goal.com.

The 21-year-old attacking midfielder switched allegiances during the summer, but has made a slow start to life at the Allianz Arena, making just three appearances in the Bundesliga this season, having also suffered from injury.

Pep Guardiola will be hoping that the Germany international regains fitness quickly, and won’t be overawed by the pressure of expectation that has followed him from Signal Iduna Park.

“I fear that it will be very difficult for Mario at Bayern,” said Raducanu in an interview with Bild. “It could be a bit like with Lukas Podolski, who also left Koln way too soon.

“There’s no doubt about Mario’s qualities, but the competition for places at Bayern is incredible.”

Podolski joined the German giants from Cologne in 2006, but failed to live up to the hype that had billed him as the one of the most exciting youngsters in European football.

The Arsenal star returned to his boyhood club three years later, before securing a switch to the Emirates Stadium to join up with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger in north London last summer.

“It would have been better for him [Gotze] had he stayed at Dortmund,” added Raducanu, who now owns a football school in Dortmund.

“He would have been the undisputed star here and had a lot of freedom. At Bayern, there are 24 more great players.”