Thomas Tuchel is currently not only dealing with the elimination from the DFB Cup at FC Bayern, but also with offensive worries before the next meeting with SC Freiburg, this time in the Bundesliga. The reason: Striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s health is a concern.
Although FC Bayern trained on Thursday behind closed doors, more precisely behind the opaque curtains, on the club premises on Säbener Straße, some information leaked out.
As “Bild” learned, attacker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was unable to take part in the 40-minute training session. The most accurate striker in Munich [zehn Bundesliga-Tore, nur Mittelfeldmann Jamal Musiala hat mehr (11)] was instead spotted in the series champion’s team doctor’s office.
He was treated there, presumably for his persistent back problems. These seemed to have been overcome in the end, because the Cameroon international was in the starting XI during the 2-1 defeat in the DFB Cup and played for a good 60 minutes, but now the setback.
FC Bayern: Sturm talent on the way to a comeback
It is currently unclear whether Choupo-Moting will be operational in Freiburg on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m.). Late on Friday morning, Tuchel is likely to be at the match day press conference (from 11:30 a.m. on the live blog at sport.de) provide more detailed information about the 34-year-old, who only extended his contract at the beginning of March by another year until the summer of 2024 at Bayern.
While Choupo-Moting stayed away from the training ground, storm talent Mathys Tel continued his comeback efforts after his muscle fiber tear, according to the “Bild” report. Tel was challenged with sprints for half an hour during running training. However, the 17-year-old is not an option for the game against Freiburg.
Sadio Mané was also busy recently. The superstar, who came from Liverpool in the summer and was slowed down for a long time in recent months by a tendon rupture in his right fibula head, put in an extra shift on Wednesday to get back into shape. It is possible that Mané will have to replace Choupo-Moting in a rather unusual position in the middle of the storm at the weekend.