Away at in-form Augsburg on Friday, Bayern Munich’s chances of securing the Bundesliga title will hinge on how they handle an injury crisis that is currently affecting the club.
Bayern Munich are six points ahead of defending champions Bayer Leverkusen with just seven games remaining, but a string of injuries to key players, especially in defense, has left the German giants struggling as they approach the finish line.
Defender Hiroki Ito fractured his foot for the second time this season on Saturday, adding to Bayern Munich’s already lengthy injury list. The club is also missing left-back Alphonso Davies, center-back Dayot Upamecano, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic, and forward Kingsley Coman.
Ito, Davies, and Upamecano are all expected to miss the rest of the league season, leaving Bayern Munich with just Kim Min-jae, who is dealing with an Achilles strain, and English veteran Eric Dier as their central defensive options.
Raphael Guerreiro, who is typically more comfortable in midfield but often plays as a left-back, also missed training on Wednesday and is now a doubt for Bayern Munich’s trip to their Bavarian rivals.
Despite the injuries, Bayern striker Harry Kane expressed confidence in his team’s strength in depth as they head into the closing stages of the season.
“Three of our defenders go down within the space of five days… it’s a pretty brutal one to take,” Kane said in an interview with the Bundesliga website published on Thursday.
“But that’s when you lean on the team… Everyone has to deal with injuries and setbacks. We’ve dealt with that well throughout the whole season, and there’s no time to stop now,” Kane added.
Bayern will need to rise to the challenge and get the job done against an Augsburg side that is in top form.
Augsburg have been unbeaten in the league since mid-January, going on a run of 11 games, and have conceded just four goals in 12 matches so far in 2025.
Augsburg’s hot streak has them just three points shy of what would be only their second-ever European qualification in club history.
Bayern’s title rivals, Leverkusen, also faced a setback midweek.
Xabi Alonso’s side were knocked out of the semi-finals of the German Cup by third-division Arminia Bielefeld.
Speaking after the match, Alonso told Sky: “Even in moments like this, we have to stay together — that’s important.”
“We have to give everything in the Bundesliga. That’s our competition now and our goal,” Alonso added.
“It won’t be easy, but we’ll try,” Alonso said.
Leverkusen captain Lukas Hradecky added that his side could “throw the anger from this defeat into the Bundesliga.”
Leverkusen will play at Heidenheim a day after Bayern’s trip to Augsburg.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund’s slim chances of securing Champions League football next season will be tested at Freiburg.
Player to watch: Chrislain Matsima (Augsburg)
The 22-year-old Monaco loanee has been instrumental in Augsburg’s defensive solidity this season, forming a solid back three alongside captain Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and Cedric Zesiger.
Matsima, a France under-21 international, will have his work cut out for him dealing with Bayern’s array of attacking talents.
However, he does have the advantage of having played alongside Bayern’s dangerous winger Michael Olise in France’s Olympics squad. Matsima will be hoping to use that inside knowledge to neutralize Olise’s threat.
Key stats
- 6 – Union Berlin are unbeaten in their past six home games against Wolfsburg. The Berliners have only lost once at home to the Wolves, and that was in a playoff to the second division in 1992.
- 4 – Augsburg have conceded only four league goals in 2025, the lowest in Europe’s top five leagues.
Fixtures (1330 GMT unless stated)
Friday
- Augsburg v Bayern Munich (1830)
Saturday
- Heidenheim v Bayer Leverkusen
- Freiburg v Borussia Dortmund
- Mainz v Holstein Kiel
- RB Leipzig v Hoffenheim
- Bochum v Stuttgart
- Werder Bremen v Eintracht Frankfurt (1630)