Bayern Munich's 2-0 victory over Juventus in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinals tie came at a cost as Toni Kroos suffered a muscle tear that will keep him sidelined for six weeks. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, chairman of Bayern's executive board, revealed the six-week timeline for recovery after the match.
Toni Kroos injury: Bayern Munich midfielder out 6 weeks with muscle tear
Bayern Munich’s star midfielder will miss six weeks after suffering a muscle tear in the team’s Champions League win over Juventus.
The midfielder went down early in the first half clutching his groin and was tended to by trainers before leaving the pitch without a thought of returning. Shortly after, the club’s official Twitter confirmed that Kroos had suffered a muscle tear, although the severity of the tear and the length of his absence was unknown until Rummenigge spoke after the win.
When Kroos left, Bayern brought on Arjen Robben to play wide, with Thomas Muller moving to a central position. That is likely going to be Bayern's favored setup in Kroos' absence, although Jupp Heynckes has moved players around and brought new players into the team from match to match, a luxury he is afforded by the team's absurd collection of talent and something that will likely continue with Kroos out.
With the Bundesliga title essentially wrapped up, Bayern do not need Kroos for the league, but they would certainly like to have their brilliant midfielder for the Champions League. If Kroos returns in six weeks, he will have missed the second leg of the quarterfinal tie versus Juventus and the semifinals, but if Bayern make the May 25 final, he should be available again.
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