The Albany Gazette - Injuries threaten to derail Bayern's home final dreams against Inter

Bayern face Inter Milan in the first leg of their Champions League quarter final on Tuesday missing several first team players, many to long term injuries.

The crisis has left Bayern reeling, as they look to avenge the ghosts of the 2012 Champions League final, also in Munich, when they lost to Chelsea on penalties.

On Friday, midfield creator Jamal Musiala was the latest to join Bayern's crowded casualty ward, with a torn hamstring, which will likely keep him out until mid-May.

Bayern's defence is particularly hard hit.

Defenders Alphonso Davies, Dayot Upamecano and Hiroki Ito look set to miss the remainder of the season with injuries.

Goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer, winger Kingsley Coman and midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic are doubts for the Inter match.

Bayern will need to keep tabs on dangerous Inter forwards Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez and have only two centre-backs available: Kim Min-Jae, who has been nursing an Achilles injury, and English veteran Eric Dier.

- 'Finale dahoam' -

This season's Champions League final in Munich, known as the 'finale dahoam' in the Bavarian dialect, has loomed large for Bayern for years.

Several of Bayern's major moves in recent seasons, from the surprise replacement of Julian Nagelsmann with Thomas Tuchel, to breaking the bank to sign Harry Kane, have been driven by the desire to win in Munich this May.

The six-time winners were, however, forced to adjust their expectations after a disappointing 2023-24 season, when Bayer Leverkusen won a league and cup double, leaving Bayern with their first trophyless campaign in 11 years.

Vincent Kompany replaced Tuchel as coach.

Club powerbroker Uli Hoeness, still the most influential person at the German giants, despite stepping down as President in 2019, told Kicker in February the focus for this season was winning the Bundesliga rather than Europe.

"After the difficult 2023/24 season, there's too much talk about the Champions League. The German championship would mean a lot to me," Hoeness said.

But with Bayern six points clear of Leverkusen with six games remaining, thoughts have returned to Europe.

Bayern veteran Thomas Mueller, who on Saturday announced he was leaving the club at season's end despite wanting to stay, said he was focused on reaching the "finale dahoam" in his last weeks at the club.

In the midst of another stellar season, Kane has also made clear his designs on the biggest team trophy of all.

For a player who has been hit by injury ahead of some of the biggest moments of his career, Kane comes into Tuesday's game fit and in fine form, particularly in Europe.

Kane was Bayern's best player in their last-16 tie against Bayer Leverkusen, scoring three goals and laying on an assist while constantly menacing defenders with his physicality.

Only Barcelona's Raphinha, with 11, has more than Kane's 10 goals in the Champions League this season.

Speaking after scoring in Bayern's 3-1 win at Augsburg on Friday, Kane said Bayern's injury woes could galvanise the side and that Kompany had anticipated such a crisis.

"From the first day the manager came in, he spoke about needing the squad and using everyone.

"We have a really big week coming up, so rotation will be key.

"Some players will have to play every minute, some players will have to make an impact off the bench, and we just have to keep focused on what we can do.

"We're in a good place, we have good momentum, and we need to take that into the game on Tuesday."

Kane said the Italian champions would be "tough", but said Bayern's win over defending champions Leverkusen in the previous round was "a big statement. It shows with the right mentality, the right focus, we can hurt any team -- and Inter are no different.

"We have to be focused and use the energy in the home leg to our advantage."

(N.Miller--TAG)