Bayern forward Choupo-Moting a doubt for Man City game
Choupo-Moting was best known as a backup for Robert Lewandowski until this season but has come into his own since Poland forward left for Barcelona in July.
Published: 07th April 2023 05:17 PM | Last Updated: 07th April 2023 05:19 PM | A+A A-
Bayern's Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, left, is challenged by Dortmund's Niklas Suele during the German Bundesliga soccer at the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich, Germany, April 1, 2023. (Photo | AP)
MUNICH: Bayern Munich forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting will miss Saturday’s league game against Freiburg with a knee problem and is a doubt for the Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Manchester City next week, coach Thomas Tuchel said Friday.
Tuchel said the 34-year-old Cameroon striker would not travel to Freiburg and would undergo treatment. “The time is tight” for him to recover ahead of the match at City on Tuesday, the coach added.
Choupo-Moting was best known as a backup for Robert Lewandowski until this season but has come into his own since Poland forward left for Barcelona in July.
He has 17 goals in 28 games for Bayern this season and four in six in the Champions League, including one against Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.
He went off after 64 minutes of the 2-1 loss to Freiburg in the German Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Serge Gnabry, Sadio Mané and Thomas Müller are candidates to replace Choupo-Moting ahead of Tuchel’s first European game since he replaced Julian Nagelsmann last month.
Also out against Freiburg is 17-year-old forward Mathys Tel, who has played 21 times for Bayern this season, mostly off the bench. Defender Dayot Upamecano misses the game through suspension after picking up too many yellow cards. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and defender Lucas Hernandez remain longer-term injury absentees.
