Breaking: Bayern Munich’s Benjamin Pavard has tested positive for COVID-19

According to a release from Bayern Munich, defender Benjamin Pavard has tested positive for COVID-19.

This is the second piece of awful news to break for the Bayern Munich after the club lost Niklas Süle to a torn muscle fiber in his thigh earlier today. Bild captured the news as well — including how Pavard trained with the team in the morning today:

Benjamin Pavard (25) tested positive for the corona virus on Thursday! The Frenchman (has full vaccination protection), who was still training with the team in the morning, will miss the game against Union Berlin on Saturday.

While the immediate hope is that Pavard did not pass the virus to any of his teammates, Julian Nagelsmann will have to problem solve how to staff his backline. Nagelsmann prefers to deploy a back-three formation, but might have to deviate from that plan.

Should the manager decide to push through in using three center-backs, Lucas Hernandez, Dayot Upamecano, Tanguy Nianzou, and Josip Stanisic would be the options.