MUNICH — Harry Kane is poised to return to the Bayern Munich lineup next week after recovering from a muscle injury, as indicated by coach Vincent Kompany on Friday.
The England striker has been sidelined since the Bundesliga match against Borussia Dortmund on November 30, where he was forced to leave the pitch after receiving treatment for a right thigh issue.
Since his departure, Kane has watched from the sidelines as Bayern played three matches, and Kompany has confirmed that the forward will not participate in the Bundesliga clash against Mainz this Saturday. However, he is optimistic about Kane’s return for the upcoming match against Leipzig on December 20.
“Harry has made excellent progress during his recovery. It was close for him to make it for this game, but the outlook for Leipzig is promising,” Kompany stated.
“While my primary concern is the match against Mainz, it’s encouraging to see Harry doing well, and thankfully we haven’t encountered any setbacks in his recovery process.”
This season, Kane has impressively netted 20 goals in just 19 appearances across all competitions since joining Bayern.
Additionally, Bayern faces challenges with several key players injured, including goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, left-back Alphonso Davies, and midfielder Joao Palhinha. The upcoming winter break could prove to be beneficial, allowing several sidelined players to return by the time the team resumes competitive play on January 11.
Kompany noted that the break will be particularly valuable due to the demanding schedule ahead, which includes the Club World Cup affecting off-season training.
“I’m grateful that we have a winter break in Germany because there won’t be a summer break next year given our full schedule,” he expressed. “It’s crucial for the team to get sufficient recovery time, not only physically but also mentally.”
Bayern Munich has been drawn into a group at the expanded Club World Cup alongside Auckland City from New Zealand, Argentina’s Boca Juniors, and Portugal’s Benfica. The tournament is set to take place in the United States from June 14 to July 13.
