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A day removed from Bayern Munich’s 1-0 triumph in Dortmund, injury struck the team yet again on the training pitch back home in Munich. Lars Lukas Mai, who accompanied the team to Dortmund but did not play, appeared to suffer a serious injury after rolling his ankle in Wednesday’s training session (90min).
Lars Lukas Mai suffered an injury to his right ankle in training today and didn't complete the session [Sky] pic.twitter.com/uboOi6UrVR
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) May 27, 2020
Mai apparently rolled his right ankle and was in visible pain. The ankle was wrapped in think bandages on the pitch before Mai was driven off disheartened on a golf car. 90min speculates, probably rightly, that Mai may have suffered ligament damage.
Bild adds that the injury occurred when Mai caught his foot on the pitch and twisted his ankle while challenging Michael Cuisance in the concluding practice game. Hansi Flick and fitness coach Holger Broich bandaged Mai themselves, since a team doctor was not present at the moment.
Lars Lukas Mai got injured in a duel with Mickaël Cuisance as his right foot got stuck in the grass. Hansi Flick himself took care of Mai's first aid and comforted him as there was no doctor or physio on site. Diagnosis of the injury will follow [Bild] pic.twitter.com/VwQW76J95S
— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) May 27, 2020
To most Bayern fans, Kingsley Coman’s recurrent syndesmosis injuries no doubt come to mind.
Although Mai has not yet played for the first team this year, he regularly features on the squad as a backup and trains with the first team, where he will be missed. His absence will be a far greater blow to FC Bayern II, where the 20-year-old is a valuable starter in central defense.
The 3.Liga is set to resume at the end of this week, on May 30. Now head coach Sebastian Hoeness will have to choose an alternative to Mai to partner with American Chris Richards. Mai has played 2.160’ minutes this season, the third-most behind keeper Christian Früchtl and star striker Kwasi “Otschi” Wriedt.