Bayern’s defense is falling apart! Another injury is here...

The March international break could potentially derail Bayern’s season. Bad news keeps piling up. After Alphonso Davies, Bayern has now lost their regular center-back, Dayot Upamecano, for the rest of the season due to injury.

Coach Vincent Kompany is now left without half of his defensive line ahead of the crucial Champions League Round of 16 clash against Inter. Upamecano suffered his injury while playing for France in the Nations League quarterfinal against Croatia. Although he endured over 120 minutes in the second leg and even scored a penalty to secure victory, it turned out he had been playing injured.

Further medical tests revealed that the Frenchman has damaged the cartilage in his left knee, which will sideline him for three months—unless some kind of miracle speeds up his recovery. Essentially, this means his season is over.

To recall, Alphonso Davies was injured before him while playing for Canada. He tore his knee ligaments and faces a six-month layoff.

Devastating loss for Bayern Munich! End of season for Davies

These are massive blows for Bayern and coach Kompany, as both players were key members of the defensive line. Upamecano has the third-most minutes in Bayern’s squad this season, while Davies ranks eighth.

Kompany has a clear backup option for the left-back position in Raphael Guerreiro, but replacing Upamecano is a bigger question mark. So far, the Frenchman has partnered with Kim Min-jae in the starting center-back duo.

The alternatives are Hiroki Ito and Eric Dier, but neither inspires much confidence. The Japanese defender, who arrived from Stuttgart in the summer, has missed most of the season due to injury, recently returning to make just seven appearances in all competitions—only three as a starter. Meanwhile, the experienced Dier has featured in 18 matches, mostly as a substitute, though he has recently started several games in a row.

In the Bundesliga, Bayern leads the title race by six points, making the domestic trophy seem like a safe bet. However, in the Champions League, these absences could prove to be a major handicap, especially against a strong Inter side.