FC Bayern enters the crucial April weeks largely unscathed, but an unexpected concern dampens the mood: Harry Kane.
Max Eberl had hoped FC Bayern would be spared from injury misfortune this season, unlike last year when the team plunged into an injury crisis after the March international break. His wish has largely been granted, with one significant exception: Harry Kane.
On Tuesday evening, the English striker caused concern, not just for Eberl. Due to a ‘slight injury,’ the irreplaceable forward missed the English national team’s friendly match against Japan (0:1). This occurred just one week before Bayern’s anticipated season highlight: the Champions League first leg against Real Madrid.
Cause for panic? Upon his return to Munich on Wednesday, Kane was scheduled for examination by doctors at Säbener Straße; a precise diagnosis was still pending. The ankle is suspected to be affected. Gareth Southgate, England’s national coach, stated it was a ‘slight injury that seemingly came out of nowhere,’ but one ‘serious enough’ to prevent Kane from playing.
Reports suggest the goal-scorer will likely also miss Saturday’s Bundesliga match against SC Freiburg, regardless of the exact severity of the injury, to avoid jeopardizing his participation at the Bernabéu. An absence against Real Madrid would be catastrophic for Bayern, whose focus has been on this clash for weeks.
FC Bayern Largely Spared from Major Injury Woes So Far
‘It’s the pinnacle, the game of all games, the anticipated final,’ remarked long-serving board chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Kane himself had declared that Bayern ‘fears no one.’ A treble seems within reach for the team in its current form – also because the record champions have largely been spared from injury misfortunes this season.
Even during the often-criticized international break, apart from Kane, there were no further alarming reports from the returning national team players. The overall personnel situation also eased in the past two weeks: Jamal Musiala, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Alphonse Davies, and Manuel Neuer, who were previously injured or carrying knocks, all returned to team training.
Neuer is expected to return to goal in Freiburg. Serge Gnabry would be available as a replacement for Kane in the Breisgau match. However, all key players would be available against Real Madrid.