Bayern Munich Confirms 7-Week Absence for David Alaba

David Alaba has a medial collateral ligament tear in his left knee, Bayern Munich team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfarth announced after diagnosing the 22-year-old on Wednesday. The club expects him to return to action in seven weeks.

"I’m obviously really disappointed at the moment," Alaba told the club website, "but I have one big target: I want to be back for the finale this season. I’ll make sure I recover completely and then I’ll go for it in rehab."

Alaba, on international duty with the Austria national team, departed a friendly on Tuesday after Bosnia and Herzegovina right back Avdija Vršajević landed on his left leg. He walked off the field under his own power, but he rushed back to Munich following the conclusion of the friendly, presumably for more medical testing.

The Austrian Athlete of the year played 135 minutes in two matches during this international break. Those appearances included a full shift in Austria's triumphant 5-0 victory Liechtenstein, where the midfielder played a part in all five goals, including scoring one of them.

Alaba had a similar injury to his right knee in November in a UEFA Champions League group stage match against AS Roma. He missed two months after needing surgery on his MCL and meniscus, returning in time for the start of the Rückrunde. He does not have a reputation of being injury prone, for this could be the first season where he has missed 20 matches.

The seven week absence will give him an outside chance of playing in the Bundesliga fixtures against Freiburg and Mainz 05 in late may, and possibly have him ready for the DFB-Pokal Final on May 30 or UEFA Champions League Final on June 6 should Bayern advance that far in those respective competitions.