Bundesliga
FC Bayern in Freiburg without striker Choupo-Moting
Bayern Munich’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (r) will miss the game in Freiburg. photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
Four days after the cup defeat, FC Bayern meets SC Freiburg again. The table leader is missing an important player in Breisgau.
FC Bayern Munich will have to do without striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the next top duel against SC Freiburg. The striker of the German soccer champions is missing because of knee problems on Saturday (3.30 p.m. / Sky).
“It looks like Choupo will be out. He had a reaction in his knee. He had a bit of knee damage before and had problems again. He won’t be there tomorrow or today,” said coach Thomas Tuchel in Munich. Mathys Tel (torn muscle) is also still missing, and defender Dayot Upamecano is suspended.
It will also be “tight” for Choupo-Moting for the first leg in the quarter-finals of the Champions League next Tuesday at Manchester City, said Tuchel. He named Serge Gnabry and Sadio Mane as possible options. Another possibility for the top would be Thomas Müller.
Just four days after the 2-1 loss to Freiburg in the DFB Cup quarter-finals, Bayern Munich want to defend their lead in the Bundesliga. “Of course it remains a huge disappointment,” said Tuchel about the cup knockout and the end of the triple dreams. “It’s important to learn from it and turn it into a willingness to be there. We’re looking ahead, have the next difficult task ahead of us and are playing for the title in the Bundesliga.”