Double Injury Blow for Bayern as Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano Both Sidelined

France's defender #04 Dayot Upamecano celebrates after scoring the winning penalty in the penalty-shoot out during the UEFA Nations League quarter-final second-leg football match between France and Croatia at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on March 23, 2025. (AFP)
France's defender #04 Dayot Upamecano celebrates after scoring the winning penalty in the penalty-shoot out during the UEFA Nations League quarter-final second-leg football match between France and Croatia at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on March 23, 2025. (AFP)
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Double Injury Blow for Bayern as Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano Both Sidelined

France's defender #04 Dayot Upamecano celebrates after scoring the winning penalty in the penalty-shoot out during the UEFA Nations League quarter-final second-leg football match between France and Croatia at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on March 23, 2025. (AFP)
France's defender #04 Dayot Upamecano celebrates after scoring the winning penalty in the penalty-shoot out during the UEFA Nations League quarter-final second-leg football match between France and Croatia at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on March 23, 2025. (AFP)

Bayern Munich has been left without two of its top defenders after Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano both picked up serious injuries on international duty.

Davies' season seems to be over after he tore a cruciate ligament in his right knee, Bayern said. The left back was injured while playing for Canada against the United States in the CONCACAF Nations League.

Bayern predicted central defender Upamecano will be out for “several weeks” with a problem in his left knee following his return from playing both legs of France's quarterfinal win over Croatia in the UEFA Nations League.

“In international breaks there is unfortunately always a danger that players come back injured, and this time it has hit us especially hard,” Bayern's board member for sport Max Eberl said. “The absences of Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano weigh heavily on FC Bayern.”

Bayern next plays St. Pauli in the Bundesliga on Saturday and faces Inter Milan in the quarterfinals of the Champions League next month.



Maresca Says he Almost Cost Chelsea their Win over Spurs

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca celebrates at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur, in London, Britain, 03 April 2025.  EPA/DAVID CLIFF
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca celebrates at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur, in London, Britain, 03 April 2025. EPA/DAVID CLIFF
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Maresca Says he Almost Cost Chelsea their Win over Spurs

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca celebrates at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur, in London, Britain, 03 April 2025.  EPA/DAVID CLIFF
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca celebrates at the end of the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur, in London, Britain, 03 April 2025. EPA/DAVID CLIFF

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said he could have blown his side's chances of hanging on for a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday by making defensive changes for the dying moments, only to realize that a full 12 minutes had been added on.
"We created chances enough in the first half, and then, to be honest, it has been my mistake because I did the change before I saw the extra time," a relieved-looking Maresca told reporters, according to Reuters.
"When I saw 12 minutes, I saw that probably was too early to make that kind of change. But fortunately, we won the game, and we are happy."
With the clock ticking down, and Chelsea ahead through Enzo Fernandez's 50th-minute header, Maresca replaced attacker Cole Palmer and Fernandez with defender Tosin Adarabioyo and midfield anchor Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, packing his back line.
The change allowed Spurs to pour forward in their search for an equalizer during the long period of stoppage time, which came after two long VAR checks in the second half which ruled out goals for both sides.
Maresca was full of praise for the way his players soaked up the pressure to seal the win which gave Chelsea some fresh momentum in their hunt for a top four finish and a place in next season's Champions League.
"If you want to become a team, I think you need also to learn and to play in the way we played in the last 10 minutes: win a game in a dirty way," the Italian said.
Maresca said the return of Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson from injury had given his side more shape, thanks to his incessant pressing of the Spurs defense. "For sure, with Nico we are a different team," the manager added.
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou said poor defending was to blame for Chelsea's goal and he was critical of how VAR ruled out what he thought was an equalizer when substitute Pape Sarr beat Robert Sanchez with a low drive, only for it to be ruled out for a foul by Sarr moments earlier.
The Australian downplayed suggestions from reporters that he had shown frustration at Spurs fans - some of whom had booed his substitution decisions - by cupping his ear to them when Sarr found the back of the net.
"It's incredible how things get interpreted. We'd just scored. I wanted to hear them cheer. We've been through a tough time and I thought it was a cracking goal. I wanted them to get really excited," he said.
"It doesn't bother me. It's not the first time that they've booed my substitutions. That's fine. They're allowed to do that," said Postecoglou, whose side sit a lowly 14th in the league standings.