Injuries threaten to derail Bayern’s home final dreams against Inter

Bayern Munich’s hopes of reaching the Champions League final, to be held at their Allianz Arena home, have been rocked by a devastating injury crisis.

Bayern face Inter Milan in the first leg of their Champions League quarter final on Tuesday missing several first team players, many to long term injuries.

The crisis has left Bayern reeling, as they look to avenge the ghosts of the 2012 Champions League final, also in Munich, when they lost to Chelsea on penalties.

On Friday, midfield creator Jamal Musiala was the latest to join Bayern’s crowded casualty ward, with a torn hamstring, which will likely keep him out until mid-May.

Bayern’s defence is particularly hard hit.

Defenders Alphonso Davies, Dayot Upamecano and Hiroki Ito look set to miss the remainder of the season with injuries.

Goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer, winger Kingsley Coman and midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic are doubts for the Inter match.

Bayern will need to keep tabs on dangerous Inter forwards Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez and have only two centre-backs available: Kim Min-Jae, who has been nursing an Achilles injury, and English veteran Eric Dier.

– ‘Finale dahoam’ –
This season’s Champions League final in Munich, known as the ‘finale dahoam’ in the Bavarian dialect, has loomed large for Bayern for years.

Several of Bayern’s major moves in recent seasons, from the surprise replacement of Julian Nagelsmann with Thomas Tuchel, to breaking the bank to sign Harry Kane, have been driven by the desire to win in Munich this May.

The six-time winners were, however, forced to adjust their expectations after a disappointing 2023-24 season, when Bayer Leverkusen won a league and cup double, leaving Bayern with their first trophyless campaign in 11 years.

Vincent