MUNICH: Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel (pix) said forward Serge Gnabry “will play and will score” in Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg at home to Real Madrid, but Leroy Sane’s status for the match is in doubt.
Gnabry scored a goal in Bayern’s 2-2 draw at Arsenal in the first leg of the quarter-finals on April 9 before he suffered a muscle injury. Tuchel said he would return next week but would not reveal whether he would start.
Former Manchester City winger Sane is less likely to feature though because of a pubic bone injury, with Tuchel saying Bayern need to “take it day by day.”
Centre-back Dayot Upamecano is also a doubt after spraining his ankle in training. Six-time European champions Bayern are already without Kingsley Coman, Sacha Boey and Bouna Sarr for the match.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s home game with Eintracht Frankfurt, Tuchel refused to be drawn on rumours that former Manchester United and RB Leipzig coach Ralf Rangnick was set to take over as Bayern boss in the summer.
Tuchel is set to depart at the end of the season, but he said he was cutting out the noise about his replacement and focusing on football.
“I’m putting my headphones on noise-cancelling and ignoring it. The topic won’t help me tomorrow or on Tuesday — and it’s not my topic anyway.
“The next 11 days cannot be about anything other than football.”
