Bayern Munich confirm key attacker to miss Manchester City clash due to injury

Manchester City will be taking on a Bayern Munich squad without Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting this week in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Bundesliga giants travel to Manchester on Monday afternoon ahead of their Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie against Pep Guardiola’s side at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.

The winner of the tie – which will be decided across two-legs – will play the winner of the quarter-final tie between Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, and Frank Lampard’s Chelsea in the semi-final stage of Europe’s premier club competition.

City will come into the clash in high spirits, after cutting down the gap between themselves and Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table to just six points after the Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw at Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

Those spirits within the Etihad camp may now be further boosted by news from Bayern Munich confirming that one of their mainstay attacking players will play no part in the first-leg in England.

In a statement on Monday morning, Bayern Munich announced, “Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting will not be able to travel to Manchester.

“The attacker is missing due to knee joint problems.”

That likely means that manager Thomas Tuchel will have to reshuffle his attacking line to accommodate one of his wide forwards in a central role, with Serge Gnabry having lead the line in their most recent outing against Freiburg.

Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane could operate in the traditional wing roles against Manchester City, while a midfield three of Jamal Musiala, Thomas Muller, and Joshua Kimmich remains a possibility following their weekend set-up.

Lucas Hernandez and Manuel Neuer will be ruled out for the German club due to long-standing injury problems, while Mathys Tel will also join those players and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting on the treatment table.