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Key athletes from Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and Liverpool sustained injuries during the March international break.
The crucial phase of the 2024-25 season has begun after the last international break, as the championship battles in Europe's top leagues will now culminate along with the exciting knock-out stage of the Champions League.
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At this stage of the season, losing a player is the last thing any team still competing for trophies requires.
Below are six athletes who sustained injuries within the last two weeks. We have detailed their respective problems along with their projected comeback times.
Alphonso Davies
This is quite troublesome. A situation that terrifies every club manager whenever they have to send their players off for the international break.
The manager of Bayern, Vincent Kompany, will be deeply disappointed that his preferred left-back, Davies, will miss the rest of the season following a severe ACL injury during Canada’s Nations League win against the United States.
Davies' swift speed will be greatly missed as they prepare for an upcoming UEFA Champions League doubleheader against Inter next month. If they advance, they could face either Barcelona or Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals.
Moreover, this situation is even more contentious because Davies' agent, Nedal Huoseh, has pointed fingers at the Canadian Football Association and the head coach, ex-Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch, attributing the injury to them.
"Alphonso wasn’t entirely fit following the Mexico match, and it had been decided that he wouldn’t begin the game against the USA," stated Huoseh.
As team captain, I believe he felt compelled to begin the match due to pressure from the coach. Alphonso isn’t one to refuse under such circumstances. Ultimately, he took part and we saw the outcome. In my view, Canadian Soccer should improve how they handle these athletes.
Dayot Upamecano
Bayern didn't just lose Davies to an injury; they faced several others.
During France's second-leg Nations League match against Croatia, which went into extra time and ended in a shootout, Upamecano played the full 120 minutes and even converted the decisive penalty. However, after returning to his team, it became apparent that he had sustained a knee injury during the game.
Bayern has stated that the center-back will be sidelined for "several weeks," however, according to a French source, Le Parisien It has been proposed that he might not return until the latter part of the season.
"Regrettably, there is always the danger of players coming back from international breaks injured – this time around, we have been affected quite severely," replied Bayern board member Max Eberl.
The lack of Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano significantly impacts FC Bayern.
Chris Wood
New Zealand secured their spot at next year’s World Cup after defeating New Caledonia 3-0, though standout player Wood was substituted early in the second half.
This is an unfavorable turn of events for Nottingham Forest, particularly since the forward is having the best campaign of his career and crucially contributing to their unexpected bid for UEFA Champions League qualification.
"That's where the discomfort lies right now," the forward said to New Zealand's Radio New Zealand.
I noticed it on that side, so I'll have it inspected to ensure it isn't anything serious. Hopefully, it's just due to an impact.
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We are expecting the results from a scan that he supposedly underwent on Tuesday. However, indications point towards Forest being "reasonably hopeful" that their leading goalscorer may not have sustained a major injury.
You assume that Nuno Espirito Santos might not want to take a chance on having him play in Saturday's FA Cup match against Brighton, but it seems likely that he will return for the latter part of the Premier League season.
Alisson
“Alisson is travelling back to Merseyside and will undergo assessment from the Reds’ medical staff,” announced Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar after the Liverpool ‘keeper suffered a suspected concussion following a nasty collision with former Tottenham defender Davinson Sanchez in Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Colomvia.
“[Alisson] suffered a trauma to the head region, he was replaced [due to] a suspected concussion,” Lasmar told CNN Brazil .
Alisson is doing fine with nothing to complain about. He did not experience any fainting spells or memory issues. However, he felt slightly sluggish. Due to this concern, the suggestion is to substitute the player.
The 32-year-old player then sat out of Brazil’s grueling 4-1 loss against Argentina. Later, he reassured Liverpool supporters via Instagram, stating that he was "doing well—just needs to adhere to the protocols."
The Reds manager Arne Slot has not been set to address the press until next Tuesday regarding the potential return of Alisson for the upcoming Merseyside derby.
Ryan Gravenberch
A key topic at Slot’s upcoming press conference may be the situation with Gravenberch, who did not feature even for a single minute during the Netherlands' two-leg Nation League quarter-final match against Spain.
Maybe this turned out to be fortunate for his team, considering the crucial midfield player appeared tired during the Liverpool’s losses against PSG and Newcastle United. Additionally, the match with Spain went into extra time in the second leg.
Gravenberch initially flew over to link up with Ronald Koeman’s team, but he pulled out after a few days.
"The midfielder is still dealing with an injury picked up during the weekend’s Caraboo Cup final, which stops him from participating in the games against Spain," stated the Netherlands.
The Dutch Football Association also mentioned an undisclosed "fitness concern" - time will tell how this impacts Gravenberch's readiness for the Merseyside derby. A two-week break could be just what he needs.
Riccardo Calafiori
So far, knee issues have plagued the Italian defender’s career, particularly during the uncomfortable landing in the Azzurri’s Nations League match against Germany.
We await confirmation from Mikel Arteta regarding Arsenal’s upcoming match against Fulham next Tuesday, but Italian reports indicate that Calafiori might be sidelined for several weeks.
"We have uncertainty regarding Calafiori; something doesn't feel right with his knee, yet he cannot articulate exactly what he’s experiencing," stated Italy manager Luciano Spalletti.
It would add yet another disappointing delay to Calafiori's inconsistent start with Arsenal this season, but the team can rely on Myles Lewis-Skelly - an alum of the Hale End academy. He impressed during his first appearance for England and fortunately came back to his club without injury.
