In the crucial phase of the season, FC Bayern Munich will have to do without their current defense chief, Niklas Süle, “for the time being”.
The first international matches of the national football team in the World Cup year will also take place without the 26-year-old.
Süle was injured in Bayern training on Wednesday.
He tore a muscle fiber in his right rear thigh, as the record champions announced on Thursday.
In the home game against 1. FC Union Berlin on Saturday (6.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky), coach Julian Nagelsmann has to reschedule his defense.
Dayot Upamecano could join the team for Süle.
The Frenchman, who was signed by Leipzig for 42.5 million euros before the season, has already made a number of dropouts this season.
It is uncertain whether Süle will be in time for the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League on 5/6.
April will be operational again.
The next Bayern opponent in the premier class will be drawn this Friday (12 noon on DAZN and Amazon Prime) at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon.
The quarter-final second leg takes place on 12./13.
held in April.
Süle, who is currently in good form, will also be missing Hansi Flick.
This Friday, the national coach will announce his squad for the friendlies on March 26 in Sinsheim against Israel and three days later in Amsterdam against the Netherlands.
Süle was firmly planned.
Meanwhile, attacker Robert Lewandowski did not return to Bayern's team training on Thursday either.
As the "Kicker" confessed, after a short warm-up, the Pole only did one running session with fitness and rehabilitation trainer Simon Martinello.
After half an hour on the pitch, Lewandowski disappeared back into the dressing room.
Meanwhile, team training continued without him.
It is still unclear whether Lewandowski will be ready for action on Saturday.
The top scorer had to stop training early on Tuesday due to a "minor injury" and then missed team training on Säbener Strasse on Wednesday.
The current injuries to Lewandowski and Süle are a kind of déjà vu for Bayern.
Without the top players Lewandowski, Süle, Serge Gnabry and Leon Goretzka, Munich were eliminated in the second leg of the quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain a year ago.
After the 2: 3 in Munich, a 1: 0 win in the French capital was not enough.
Bayern also have to do without Leon Goretzka, Alphonso Davies and Corentin Tolisso.
After all: National player Goretzka should be able to play again at the beginning of April and thus for the premier class quarterfinals after his long-term knee problems and a break of more than three months.