Bayern Munich's De Ligt Sidelined with Knee Injury

 Bayern Munich's De Ligt Sidelined with Knee Injury

Matthijs de Ligt of FC Bayern Muenchen is injured in the match and has to be substituted during the DFB cup second round match between 1. FC Saarbrücken and FC Bayern München at Ludwigsparkstadion on November 01, 2023 in Saarbruecken, Germany.(Image-Getty)

Bayern Munich's backline has been dealt a blow as defender Matthijs de Ligt faces an uncertain period on the sidelines following a knee ligament injury during Wednesday's 2-1 German Cup defeat to Saarbruecken, a third-tier team. The Dutch international was forced to leave the pitch in the 24th minute of the second-round match, prompting concerns within the club.

According to an official statement by the German champions, "Matthijs de Ligt sustained a partial tear of the ligament in his right knee joint." This diagnosis was confirmed after a thorough examination conducted by the club's medical department on Thursday. Consequently, de Ligt's absence will impact Bayern Munich's forthcoming fixtures.

The team is slated to face off against title contenders Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, followed by a home match against Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday. The absence of de Ligt compounds the defensive concerns for Bayern, who are already coping with the absence of injured center back Dayot Upamecano. Furthermore, the suspension of defensive midfielder Joshua Kimmich for the Dortmund clash adds further strain to their defensive setup.

Currently positioned second in the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich trails league leaders Bayer Leverkusen by a narrow two-point margin. The injury to de Ligt adds to the challenges faced by the team as they strive to maintain their competitive edge in the title race.