The Bayern Munich squad is dealing with another injury blow after their 3-2 win over St. Pauli. Ito suffered a metatarsal fracture, making him the sixth unavailable player for the Bundesliga leaders.
Bayern Munich tops the Bundesliga and has secured a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals. However, tension is running high at the club due to a string of injuries and a controversy surrounding Thomas Muller’s future.
Ito, chosen to replace Alphonso Davies on the left side of the defense, suffered his third metatarsal fracture this season. He will undergo surgery and likely won’t play again in 2024/2025. His injury has sparked discussions at the club.
The German tabloid Bild revealed that Ito is known for being injury-prone, particularly with metatarsal issues. Despite this, sports director Max Eberl took the risk and signed him from Stuttgart last summer.
Besides Ito and Alphonso Davies, who arrived injured from the Canadian national team, Bayern has four more players unavailable for upcoming games: Manuel Neuer, Dayot Upamecano, Kingsley Coman, and Alexander Pavlovic.
The Muller Situation
The Kicker magazine revealed on Sunday that the club plans to let Thomas Muller’s contract expire this summer. This news was supposed to be announced later to avoid upsetting fans mid-season.
The club recently renewed Joshua Kimmich’s contract, citing that he represents the club’s values. However, this doesn’t seem to apply to Muller.
At 35, Muller wants to keep playing but will have to find a new team. Former Bayern and German national team striker Miroslav Klose wants to bring him to Lazio. Muller is also considering a move to the MLS, where he could face Lionel Messi.
Bayern’s leadership has a lot to figure out with these injuries and contract decisions. They need to find a way to keep the team strong despite these setbacks.