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Calafiori Injury in Champions League Adds to Arsenal’s Mounting Concerns Ahead of Liverpool Match

Arsenal's Italian defender #33 Riccardo Calafiori controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League football match between Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium in north London on October 22, 2024. (AFP)
Arsenal's Italian defender #33 Riccardo Calafiori controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League football match between Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium in north London on October 22, 2024. (AFP)
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Calafiori Injury in Champions League Adds to Arsenal’s Mounting Concerns Ahead of Liverpool Match

Arsenal's Italian defender #33 Riccardo Calafiori controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League football match between Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium in north London on October 22, 2024. (AFP)
Arsenal's Italian defender #33 Riccardo Calafiori controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League football match between Arsenal and Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates Stadium in north London on October 22, 2024. (AFP)

Arsenal’s problems are mounting ahead of a huge Premier League game against Liverpool at the weekend.

With key attacking players Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka and defender Jurrien Timber already on the injury list, Arsenal saw left back Riccardo Calafiori go off in the second half of the 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday after twisting his right knee.

“He felt something, he could not continue playing,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said of the Italy defender. “Bit of a worry.”

Center back William Saliba also is sure to miss the Liverpool game because he is suspended after a red card in the loss to Bournemouth on Saturday.

While Odegaard, Arsenal’s captain, is almost certain to be absent as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury sustained last month, less was known about the status of Saka after the winger appeared to hurt his hamstring on England duty last week.

Saka didn’t play at Bournemouth or against Shakhtar, and Arteta wasn’t too positive about the winger’s chances of making the Liverpool game on Sunday.

“He wasn’t able to train yet, so that’s unlikely,” Arteta said.

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Bayern Have Attacking Options to Replace Kane, Says Kompany

Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)
Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)
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Bayern Have Attacking Options to Replace Kane, Says Kompany

Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)
Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany claps hands during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at the Signal-Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP)

Bayern Munich have enough talented players to replace injured striker Harry Kane, starting on Tuesday with their German Cup round of 16 tie against holders Bayer Leverkusen, coach Vincent Kompany.

The England captain, who has netted 20 goals across all competitions this season and leads the Bundesliga scorers' list with 14, suffered a thigh muscle injury in Saturday's 1-1 league draw at Borussia Dortmund.

Kane is expected to be out for a couple of weeks but Kompany said he hoped he could still return to action before the winter break starts on Dec. 22. Bayern are top of the Bundesliga with a four-point lead over Eintracht Frankfurt.

"It is difficult to say at this moment but there is a chance for him to still play this year," Kompany told a press conference on Monday.

"But he will miss several games and to replace him, you know you cannot replace the goals or the player one-for-one. That's why he is a top player."

Kompany said players like Thomas Mueller, Serge Gnabry, Michael Olise and Leroy Sane had enough experience to fill the gap.

"We have talent in the team and need to solve it differently. We won't be lacking talent tomorrow but it will look different," Kompany said.

"We have many options. Thomas Mueller, Mathys Tel, Gnabry, Olise, Leroy. I now named almost everyone. Obviously, Harry has scored 20 goals... but we have dangerous players in attack."

Bayern last won the German Cup in 2020 and have failed to get past the quarter-finals since, losing in the second round in three of the past four seasons.

"We play the Cup holders tomorrow. One of the top two or three games in Germany, and I hope our performance will match the importance of the game," Kompany said.