MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich has been left without two of its top defenders after Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano both picked up serious injuries on international duty.
Davies' season seems to be over after Bayern said he would be out for “several months” with a torn cruciate ligament in his right knee. The left back went off injured while playing in Canada's 2-1 win over the United States in the CONCACAF Nations League.
Bayern predicted central defender Upamecano will be out for “several weeks” with a problem in his left knee following his return from playing both legs of France's quarterfinal win over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League.
“In international breaks there is unfortunately always a danger that players come back injured, and this time it has hit us especially hard,” Bayern's board member for sport Max Eberl said. “The absences of Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano weigh heavily on FC Bayern.”
Eberl said the team would “pull even closer together now” to make up for losing Davies and Upamecano. “The quality is there to keep on pursuing our big goals.”
The injuries could mean Bayern relies more on central defender Kim Min-jae, who returned to training Monday after an Achilles tendon injury forced him to miss international games for South Korea. It could also mean more game time for Bayern's fringe players like center back Eric Dier, left back Raphael Guerreiro and versatile defender Hiroki Ito.
Bayern next plays St. Pauli in the Bundesliga on Saturday and faces Inter Milan in the quarterfinals of the Champions League next month.
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The Associated Press
