Injuries threaten to derail Bayern Munich’s home final dreams against Inter Milan
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Bayern Munich's Harry Kane celebrates with teammates after scoring against FC Augsburg in a Bundesliga match.
PHOTO: AFP
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MUNICH – Bayern Munich’s hopes of reaching the Champions League final, to be held at their Allianz Arena home, have been rocked by a devastating injury crisis.
The German giants face Italian Serie A side Inter Milan at home in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on April 8 missing several first-team players, mostly to long-term injuries.
On April 4, midfield creator Jamal Musiala was the latest to join Bayern’s crowded casualty ward, with a torn hamstring, which will likely keep him out until mid-May. The team’s defence is particularly hard hit, with Alphonso Davies, Dayot Upamecano and Hiroki Ito set to miss the remainder of the season.
Goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer, winger Kingsley Coman and midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic are also doubts for the Inter match.
But star striker Harry Kane said Bayern’s injury woes could instead galvanise the side and that coach Vincent Kompany had anticipated such a crisis.
“From the first day the manager came in, he spoke about needing the squad and using everyone,” he said.
“Rotation will be key. Some players will have to play every minute, some players will have to make an impact off the bench, and we just have to keep focused on what we can do. We’re in a good place, we have good momentum, and we need to take that into the game on Tuesday.”
Bayern will need to keep tabs on dangerous Inter forwards Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez with just two centre-backs available – Kim Min-jae, who has been nursing an Achilles injury, and English veteran Eric Dier.
This season’s Champions League final in Munich has loomed large for Bayern for years.
Several of their major moves in recent seasons, from the surprise replacement of Julian Nagelsmann with Thomas Tuchel, to breaking the bank to sign Kane, have been driven by the desire to win in Munich in May.
The six-time winners were, however, forced to adjust their expectations after a disappointing 2023-24 season, when Bayer Leverkusen won a league and cup double, leaving Bayern with their first trophyless campaign in 11 years. Kompany then replaced Tuchel as coach.
With Bayern now six points clear of Leverkusen in the Bundesliga with six games remaining, thoughts have clearly returned to Europe.
Veteran Thomas Muller, who over the weekend announced he was leaving Bayern at season’s end, said he was focused on reaching the Munich final.
Kane has also made clear his designs on the biggest team trophy of all. For a player who has been hit by injury ahead of some of the biggest moments of his career, he comes into the game fit and in fine form, particularly in Europe.
He was Bayern’s best player in their 5-0 aggregate win over Leverkusen in the last-16, scoring three goals and laying on an assist while constantly menacing defenders with his physicality. Only Barcelona’s Raphinha, with 11, has more than Kane’s 10 goals in the Champions League this season.
But the England captain has warned that Inter will be “tough”, though he believes that Bayern’s win over Leverkusen in the previous round was “a big statement”. AFP
