It has been a brutal season for Bayern Munich until now when it comes to injuries. The poor end to the summer transfer window meant that the squad was thin. Injuries to key players in the past few months meant that there is no room for rotation across games.
Matthijs de Ligt is the latest player to be sidelined for weeks due to an injury at Bayern. The Dutch defender suffered a knee injury during the 2-1 defeat against Saarbrucken on Wednesday. De ligt is unlikely to play again for Bayern in 2023.
Meanwhile, Sport1 is reporting that youngster Tarek Buchmann has also suffered a serious thigh injury. The young defender is set to undergo surgery. As per this report, Buchmann is expected to be sidelined for months due to injury.
It has been an unfortunate campaign for Buchmann. After signing a professional contract, he was expected to be integrated into the first team this season. Buchmann was expected to be the fourth center-back option in the squad. Bayern rates the youngster highly and expects him to be a key member of the squad in the future.
Buchmann will have to wait for his opportunity. He may get game time in the second half of the season, provided his recovery goes according to plan. Die Roten is yet to confirm how long Buchmann will be on the sidelines due to the latest injury setback.
Bayern currently have only one fit center-back in the squad ahead of Saturday’s Der Klassiker at Signal Iduna Park. Kim Min-jae will start against Dortmund, but it remains to be seen who will play with him in the heart of defense. Dayot Upamecano has been training with the squad, but it remains to be seen if he is fit enough to start.
Leon Goretzka is also an option in central defense. The German midfielder is expected to be fit for a place in the starting XI after training with the squad this week. Goretzka was ruled out for a couple of weeks after the international break due to a fracture in his hand.
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Tuchel also has a selection headache in midfield for Der Klassiker since Joshua Kimmich is suspended for the game. The German coach may have to use Jamal Musiala in central midfield with Konrad Laimer if Goretzka has to play in central defense. After the defeat against Saarbrucken on Wednesday, Tuchel needs a win on Saturday with a depleted midfield and defense to shut down criticism.