Canada’s Alphonso Davies made a triumphant return to the pitch for Bayern Munich after a long hiatus of 262 days due to a severe knee injury. The 25-year-old Canadian, hailing from Edmonton, entered the game as a substitute in the 88th minute during Bayern’s 3-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League at the Allianz Arena.
While Josip Stanisic initially occupied the left-back position for Bayern against Sporting Lisbon, Davies hinted on the Film Never Lies podcast that coach Vincent Kompany might give him some playing time. Davies took over from German player Serge Gnabry, who was among the goal-scorers for Bayern.
Davies sustained his injury in March while representing Canada against the United States in a CONCACAF Nations League match, where he suffered ligament damage and other knee injuries. Following the incident, Bayern criticized the Canadian national team, alleging inadequate medical assessments were conducted on Davies’ injury before his return to Germany.
The momentous return of Alphonso Davies to competitive football marks a significant milestone in his recovery journey from the debilitating knee injury that had sidelined him for an extended period.