Edmond Tapsoba's fitness race ignites Leverkusen's Bayern showdown

The 26-year-old Burkina Faso star, a cornerstone of Leverkusen's defence this season, missed their emphatic 4-1 Bundesliga victory over Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend, leaving fans and boss Xabi Alonso on edge.

Speaking to the media, Alonso offered a cautious update on Tapsoba's condition. "We didn't want to push him too hard," he said. "We're taking it day by day and hoping he's ready for Wednesday."

With the first leg looming, Leverkusen's backline could hinge on this fitness call. Should Tapsoba fail to recover, Mario Hermoso might retain his spot, or Piero Hincapie could step in to fill the void.

Tapsoba's potential absence isn't the only talking point at the BayArena. On X, Leverkusen posted a cryptic training ground snap of the defender stretching, captioned "Working hard, day by day," sparking hope among supporters that their defensive rock could yet feature against Bayern.

Meanwhile, Leverkusen are already plotting for the future, with their sights set on RCD Espanyol's promising goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

Garcia, who has clocked 25 appearances for Espanyol this term, isn't short of suitors. Arsenal and Barcelona are also in the hunt, with the Gunners having tabled two bids below his 30 million euros release clause last summer.

Espanyol's sporting director Fran Garagarza told Marca they might soften their stance on a sale, but only once a replacement is lined up for the Catalan outfit, who currently languish in 15th in La Liga.

For now, though, Leverkusen's focus is firmly on Bayern. Tapsoba's race against time could prove decisive in a tie that promises fireworks and Alonso will be praying his defensive linchpin wins it.

READ MORE: Nottingham Forest edge Ipswich in FA Cup thriller