Bayern hit by injury concerns ahead of Madrid clash

Bayern Munich’s Raphael Guerreiro is likely to miss Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid, as the German side continue to battle with injuries ahead of their season-defining semi-final second-leg.

Guerreiro left the stadium on crutches after appearing to strain his hamstring during Bayern’s 3-1 defeat to Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Saturday. 

“Rapha will now probably be out for the second leg. It’s a bit like we are cursed,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel told Sky after the game. 

There were also concerns for English defender Eric Dier after he clashed heads with Serhou Guirassy on Saturday and had to have a wound stapled and bandaged before playing on. 

Yet Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl said he wasn’t worried that Dier would be unfit for Wednesday.

“I spoke to him after the game, and he was able to recognise me, so I don’t think it’s anything serious,” joked Eberl. 

Dutch centre-back Matthijs De Ligt is also facing a race to be fit in the coming days, after he missed the first leg against Real with a knee injury.

“Matthijs trained individually today and it seems to have gone well, so he will return to team training tomorrow,” said Tuchel. 

Bayern head to Madrid on with their semi-final tie finely poised after a 2-2 draw in Munich last Tuesday. 

De Ligt in particular was sorely missed in the first leg, with his understudy Kim Min-jae at fault for both of Real’s goals. 

As well as enduring injury concerns, the Munich giants also suffered an untimely knock to their confidence with Saturday’s defeat in Stuttgart.

Yet sporting director Eberl insisted his side would bounce back in the Bernabeu. 

“We can leave this result behind us now and focus completely on Madrid. We already showed in the quarter-final against Arsenal that we can switch focus very quickly, so I don’t think it’s a blow to our confidence,” he said.