NAfter the Corona horror at the start of the year, Julian Nagelsmann had to announce the next bad news with the heart muscle inflammation of Alphonso Davies. After the end of the domestic isolation, the 21-year-old Bayern star was examined – and then sent into a compulsory break of several weeks after returning to training. “Of course there is a probability these days that it comes from a corona infection plus physical activity. But we don’t know 100 percent, “said Nagelsmann. “But it has no relevance with regard to the further course of action with him. The fact is: He’s got it – that’s modest to shitty, to extremely shitty. “
Corona won’t let go of FC Bayern Munich either. After the false start to the football year in the 1: 2 against Borussia Mönchengladbach, when Nagelsmann was missing a total of 13 professionals, including nine players who recently tested positive around captain Manuel Neuer, the next longer failure follows. Last year, the unvaccinated Joshua Kimmich, like Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, had to pause for weeks due to quarantine, infection and lung problems, now it affects the young Canadian Davies.
That in addition to Neuer and Corentin Tolisso, who are presumably in the starting eleven, on Saturday (3.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky) against 1. FC Köln, Dayot Upamecano, Omar Richards, Leroy Sané and Tanguy Nianzou were back in the squad as change options was no real comfort to Davies, given the diagnosis. Nagelsmann emphasized that there were signs of a slight heart muscle inflammation and that it was “not that dramatic”. Still, it hits the left-back, who is absent for an “indefinite period,” and the club hard.
“Now there is a lot about Corona again”
“I actually thought that we could bury the Corona issue at some point before Christmas and that it would not be about Corona all the time. Now there is a lot going on about Corona again, “said Nagelsmann before the away game. “Phonzie is out of training until further notice and will not be available for the next few weeks either. It has to heal completely now. “
Nagelsmann will again have a formation on the Rhine in which not every player will appear in his desired or ideal position. Marcel Sabitzer could get a new chance at the back left in Davies position, Kimmich should appear as right-back. “We still have a squad that can and should win a Bundesliga game, sometimes in foreign positions,” said the 34-year-old coach.
National players Leon Goretzka (in training after patellar tendon problems), Josip Stanisic (training) and Lucas Hernández (corona infection) are still not there. Kingsley Coman, who had to pause in the first half of the season due to a minor heart operation, is also missing in Cologne. He is still in training after a muscle injury and a corona infection.
In those annoying days, Nagelsmann was at least happy about the strong sign of the contract extension with Coman until 2027. After the costly extensions with the winner of the Champions League final in 2020 as well as with the executives Kimmich (contract until mid-2025) and Goretzka ( 2026), however, there are tricky decisions to be made regarding Niklas Süle, Serge Gnabry and Corentin Tolisso. The Gnabry contract expires in mid-2023, that of Süle and Tolisso this summer.
“I do not interfere in the contractual issues, nor do I participate in any negotiation round. I try to deliver my arguments in a sporty way, ”said Nagelsmann, who would not say no to a winter transfer from Munich. “Basically, I’m a big fan of winter transfers, you set new attractions,” he said. “But the winter market is very difficult, very expensive, very complicated. There is no oil well gushing out of Säbener Strasse, nor do we have endless coal. “
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