Alphonso Davies trained individually on Thursday at FC Bayern, sparking concerns for coach Vincent Kompany regarding his availability for the return leg against PSG.
In a surprising move, coach Vincent Kompany included Alphonso Davies in the starting lineup for the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain, replacing Konrad Laimer. The 25-year-old Canadian left-back conceded the penalty that led to the 2-3 scoreline but otherwise had a decent game.
His substitution at halftime was therefore somewhat surprising. When questioned about it in the mixed zone, Sporting Director Max Eberl deflected, stating, «These are decisions made by the coaching staff.» He did, however, attest that Davies delivered a «very, very good» performance.
It’s possible that health issues were behind the substitution. According to reports, Davies was absent from team training on Thursday and instead completed an individual session with rehab coach Simon Martinello, involving runs and light ball exercises.
It remains unclear whether Davies’ participation in the Bundesliga match against 1. FC Heidenheim on Saturday, and more importantly, in the second leg against PSG on Wednesday, is at risk. For the full-back positions, Kompany also has Laimer, Josip Stanisic, and Hiroki Ito available.
FC Bayern: Alphonso Davies Has Been Absent Repeatedly Recently
Davies was sidelined for months last year due to an ACL tear before celebrating his comeback in December. However, his return journey was marked by several setbacks: he was briefly ill in January and then out from February to March due to muscular problems. He started in the last two Bundesliga matches against VfB Stuttgart and FSV Mainz 05, impressing enough to earn a surprise start against PSG.
There was also positive news from the Säbener Straße on Thursday: Lennart Karl and Tom Bischof, who had been out with muscle fiber tears, were at least partially back in team training. This has raised hopes that they might be available for the PSG match.