Bayern Munich confirm key man set to miss Man City Champions League clash through injury

Bayern Munich have confirmed Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting will not be involved in their travelling squad for the Champions League quarter-final clash against Manchester City on Tuesday.

The German champions head to the Etihad for the first leg of the last-eight tie and will be without their top scorer. The former Stoke City man has netted 17 goals in all competitions this term, including four from six in the Champions League this season.

But Bayern tweeted on Monday to confirm the player won’t be involved after he picked up a knee injury. “Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting will not travel to Manchester for #FCBMCI. The forward is unavailable due to a knee problem,” they said.

Since Robert Lewandowski’s summer departure, Choupo-Moting has played a central role in the team and has established himself as the club’s first-choice striker. His absence means Bayern could start with former Liverpool star Sadio Mane in the centre-forward role against City. The Senegalese attacker played there on Saturday as Bayern beat Freiburg 1-0..

Elsewhere, Manuel Neuer won’t be involved with the German goalkeeper out since the World Cup after he suffered a broken leg in December. Experienced stopper Yann Sommer will start between the sticks for Bayern. The club’s only other injury is Lucas Hernandez, who hasn’t played in 2023 with a cruciate ligament problem.

Bayern come into the clash in mixed form and have lost two of the last four in all competitions. However, they have impressed in the Champions League and have won all eight matches in the competition this season.

The six-time European champions came through a group that included Inter Milan, Barcelona and Viktoria Plzen, while they beat Paris Saint-Germain over two legs in the last-16.