FC Bayern Munich is the most successful club in Germany. In our news ticker you will find all the important news about the record champions.
The most important things at a glance
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Tuchel is hoping for a star duo, Neuer is still missing
Still without captain Manuel Neuer, but with Joshua Kimmich and Dayot Upamecano back for the first time: three days before the top game in the Bundesliga at Bayer Leverkusen, the two FC Bayern stars returned to team training. Coach Thomas Tuchel had already expressed the hope on Saturday after the 3-1 win against Gladbach that Kimmich and Upamecano would be fit again by Saturday’s game with the leaders.
Both players were injured in the 1-0 win against Union Berlin on January 24th. Kimmich suffered a painful shoulder injury, while Upamecano has been out since then due to a torn muscle fiber in his left rear thigh. There is also good news from defense chief Min-Jae Kim: He is expected back in Munich on Thursday after losing to Jordan in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup with South Korea (0-2).
However, Tuchel again had to make do without Neuer in training on Wednesday. The 37-year-old goalkeeper continues to suffer from “slight knee problems,” the record champions said. Last-minute addition Bryan Zaragoza, who was in the squad for the first time against Gladbach, was also missing due to a flu-like infection. The injured Konrad Laimer, Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry and Alphonso Davies are definitely not available for Leverkusen.
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Preparation for Leverkusen: Neuer is missing from training
Bayern Munich started its preparation for the Bundesliga summit against league leaders Bayer Leverkusen – and had to do without two players. Captain Manuel Neuer took a break due to minor knee problems and was missing from Tuesday’s session, as was newcomer Bryan Zaragoza (flu infection).
This meant that coach Thomas Tuchel had to do without a total of twelve professionals in the first session before the top game on Saturday. The coach can hope for the return of Joshua Kimmich (shoulder) and possibly also Dayot Upamecano (thigh). The game comes too early for Serge Gnabry and substitute goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. Min-Jae Kim is still at the Asian Cup. Alphonso Davies, Kingsley Coman, Konrad Laimer and Bouna Sarr are out for the cracker at Bayer. Frans Krätzig is about to go on loan.
Coaching earthquake on the Bayern campus
FC Bayern unexpectedly parted ways with U19 coach Michael Hartmann on Monday evening. The separation was the result of a “thorough analysis of the situation,” as the Munich-based team announced in a club statement.
René Maric will be his successor, a coach who was already employed by the Munich team as team leader for coach development and game philosophy.
“We are very happy that he has now agreed at short notice to also take over the U19 team. We wish him every success in his tasks over the next few months,” Bayern’s sports director Christoph Freund was quoted as saying.
After Davies’ shock: The star has been missing from Bayern for that long
FC Bayern will apparently have to do without full-back Alphonso Davies for a while. The top performer twisted his knee in the final phase of the 3-1 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach and had to be substituted.
Now an exact downtime should also be determined: Davies will apparently not only miss the upcoming Bundesliga clash against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday (from 6.30 p.m. in the live ticker on t-online).
Because as the TV broadcaster Sky has learned, Davies will have to take a break for two to three weeks. In addition to the duel with Leverkusen, he would also miss the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Lazio.
According to the report, there is hope for a return for veteran Joshua Kimmich (shoulder injury) and central defender Dayot Upamecano (torn hamstring). Both professionals were injured in the catch-up game against Union Berlin at the end of January.