MUNICH — Bayern Munich is dealing with a significant setback as defender Hiroki It? is sidelined once more due to a serious foot injury, compounding the team’s defensive challenges ahead of their Champions League quarterfinal clash with Inter Milan.
The club announced on Sunday that It? suffered a renewed fracture in his right metatarsal during Bayern’s 3-2 victory over St. Pauli in the Bundesliga last Saturday. He entered the match as a substitute but was forced off, leaving Bayern short-handed for the remainder of the match after all substitutions had been used.
It? made his move to Bayern from Stuttgart before the season began and first endured the injury in a preseason friendly against Düren. His recovery in November was plagued by complications, prompting an additional surgery. The Japanese defender finally returned to action in February, featuring in six Bundesliga games and two Champions League fixtures.
Max Eberl, Bayern’s board member responsible for sports, commented on It?’s situation, saying, “He’s only just battled back after months of rehab and will now be out for a long time again – we can barely imagine how he’s feeling.” Eberl assured that It? will receive unwavering support from the club as he embarks on the recovery journey once more.
This recent development adds to Bayern’s growing injury list, which already includes key defenders Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano, both sidelined due to knee injuries sustained during their international duty.
Eberl emphasized the club’s resolve, stating, “We’ve now lost a third defender in a short space of time. We will now pool our forces even more to continue pursuing our goals.”
Currently leading the Bundesliga by six points with seven matches remaining, Bayern is preparing to host Inter Milan for the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on April 8, with the return leg scheduled for April 16 in Milan.