By SABC Sport
23rd October 2023
However, the triumph came at a cost as Bayern faced an unexpected injury setback.
Bayern's talented midfielder, Leon Goretzka, found himself at the centre of this unfortunate turn of events. Around the one-hour mark, a fierce tussle with Mainz striker Ludovic Ajorque left Goretzka nursing a painful injury to his left hand.
Despite initial assessments from the physio team, which suggested he could continue, the midfielder was ultimately replaced ten minutes later and subsequently rushed to the hospital.
Medical evaluations confirmed the severity of the injury, revealing that Goretzka had suffered a fracture in his left metacarpal. As reported by BILD, the 28-year-old is anticipated to be sidelined for up to three weeks. This setback is set to keep him out of action for Bayern's upcoming four matches, including a highly anticipated showdown against Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
The loss of Goretzka is a bitter pill for Bayern to swallow, given his instrumental role in their recent success. During the match against Mainz, the midfielder not only contributed with a goal but also provided an assist, playing a pivotal role in securing three crucial points for his team.
Goretzka, despite being the latest addition to Bayern's growing injury list, maintained a positive outlook and shared a picture on his Instagram with an uplifting message regarding his comeback. He captioned it with, "Appropriate sign in front of the clinic. Thank you for the well wishes. I'm looking forward to being able to get back to it quickly."
Bayern will now have to regroup and find a way to navigate through a challenging period without their influential midfielder.