Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and wingers Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sane are among Bayern Munich’s new injury concerns for the first leg of their Uefa Champions League quarter-final at Arsenal on Tuesday, manager Thomas Tuchel has said.
Midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic and right-back Noussair Mazraoui will also miss Bayern’s trip to Heidenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday, when the reigning German champions will aim to return to winning ways after losing 2-0 at home to Borussia Dortmund six days ago.
“It’s not because they’re being rested for Tuesday,” said Tuchel. “They aren’t in the squad because they aren’t fully fit.
“They are, therefore, also a doubt for Tuesday. Pavlovic has been hit hard by a virus. Leroy is mainly dealing with a pubic bone issue and Kingsley has a muscular problem.
“Fortunately, we’ve got confirmation that it’s not a structural issue – but it’s still enough to make it so he can’t play.”
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Raphael Guerreiro is back in Bayern’s squad as they bid to avoid an upset against 11th-placed opponents who are 30 points below them in the Bundesiga.
Heidenheim only played in the German second tier for the first time in 2014 and are debuting in the Bundesliga this season, standing 10 points clear of safety.
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“It’s a classic case of David versus Goliath in front of a passionate fanbase who will get behind the home team,” said Tuchel.
“We also have a big game coming up after that which we’re also focused on, but we can’t just skip ahead to it.
“We have to make up for last weekend. The tricky thing is always managing to focus on the next game. We need to be the best possible version of ourselves each and every day. The best preparation is whichever game is coming up next.”
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Bayern’s defeat to Dortmund means unbeaten leaders Bayer Leverkusen are 13 points above them and on the brink of the title with seven games remaining.
In his final season in charge, Tuchel faces a challenge to ensure Bayern finish second in the top flight, with Stuttgart three points behind them in third.
The Champions League is Die Roten’s only realistic prospect of silverware and Arsenal’s relative inexperience could give them hope.
While Bayern have won the competition six times, the Gunners have only been beyond the quarter-finals twice, last doing so when they reached the semi-finals in 2009.
