Bayern Munich host long-time foes Borussia Dortmund on Saturday after a rollercoaster week punctuated by coach Vincent Kompany’s hospitalisation and Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or triumph.
Germany captain Joshua Kimmich, a mainstay in Bayern’s midfield, has missed three games on compassionate leave due to the sudden death of his father.
Luis Diaz, Manuel Neuer, Jamal Musiala and Aleksander Pavlovic have all battled injury for the defending champions.
Bayern’s issues have pushed what is usually the biggest match of the Bundesliga season into the background.
The only unbeaten teams after seven matchdays, Bayern and Dortmund sit level on points, with Saturday’s hosts ahead on goal difference.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said Thursday his side, who have also battled injury issues this season, were “getting closer” to Bayern.
But Bayern’s main task will be to shut out the noise and focus on the game.
‘Highs and the lows’
After showing signs of illness in Bayern’s 6-1 thumping of RB Leipzig, Kompany returned to the dugout for last week’s 2-2 home draw with Arsenal, but collapsed on the training pitch two days later.
Later diagnosed with meningeal irritation, the Belgian was released after five days in hospital on Wednesday, but Bayern said it will likely be “weeks, not days” until he returns to work.
Charged with carrying Kompany’s clipboard, assistant Aaron Danks hoped the waves of emotion would galvanise the side.
“You’ve seen the full extremes of life in the last week. The joys and highs for Harry, and the lows of some of the things we’ve had to go through in the last seven days,” Danks said Tuesday.
“Internally we have to find a balance… In these moments, you understand the human being is the most important thing…
“These moments do bring you closer, because they’re challenging moments, but to get through these moments we’ve had to rely on our team spirit and our togetherness.”
At the other end of the emotional spectrum is Kane, who received the game’s highest individual honour on Monday.
Kane said Wednesday it had been a “crazy week” for himself and the club, adding: “I get quite embarrassed by it, but I know it’s a big deal.
“It’s been a whirlwind 48 hours, it’s nice to be back here and feel at home again.”
Kane became the first Englishman since Michael Owen in 2001 and just the fifth ever to win the Ballon d’Or, with some calling for the England captain to be knighted.
“I certainly wouldn’t say no, that’s for sure,” Kane said. “But it’ll feel a bit weird everyone calling me ‘sir’, so we’ll just keep it as Harry.
“If it happens, it’ll be incredible and something I’ll be massively proud of, but I don’t want to get too carried away.”
World Cup winner Lothar Matthaeus, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1990 with Inter Milan, said Kane would respond well to the recognition.
“When you win the Ballon d’Or, the story is not over. It has to motivate you,” Matthaeus told AFP and other media on Wednesday.
“For me, for sure it was an honour to win, but football is a team sport. This Ballon d’Or is not only for Kane, it’s also for Bayern Munich.”
