Bundesliga
Pavlović out for Barcelona clash
Aleksandar Pavlović will be missing for Bayern Munich’s UEFA Champions League tie with Barcelona due to a collarbone break suffered against VfB Stuttgart.
Confirming the news in a statement, Bayern said: “Midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović will be missing from FC Bayern in the coming weeks. The German international suffered a broken collarbone in the Bundesliga match against VfB Stuttgart on Saturday evening.
"This was the result of an examination by FC Bayern's medical department after the match. Pavlović was substituted in the eighth minute after he fell awkwardly on his shoulder following an aerial duel with Stuttgart's Fabian Rieder.”
Pavlović hit the ground of the Allianz Arena pitch shoulder-first and received treatment before being withdrawn clearly in pain.
He was replaced by summer signing João Palhinha, who will likely deputise in the coming weeks.
Next up for Bayern is an away trip to Spain in the Champions League where they face Barcelona on Matchday 3 of the league phase. The La Liga giants are managed by 2020 European treble-winning Bayern coach Hansi Flick.
Bayern then travel to Bochum on October 27 in the Bundesliga, Mainz on October 30 in the DFB Cup, before heading home to host Union Berlin in the league on November 2.
Commenting on the news of Pavlović’s injury, head coach Vincent Kompany said: "He might have been our best player so far this season. His absence won’t change anything in his career, but of course it is a shame for us that he can no longer be with us.”
The academy graduate and Germany international has played in nine of Bayern’s ten games so far this season, starting in each of those matches, while scoring a stunning equaliser against Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 5.
Sporting director Max Eberl commented: "This is really dramatic for Aleks. But we have the depth in the squad to absorb it.”
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Palhinha will be the most likely to come in for Pavlović, having so far only made one start and recorded six substitute appearances since his summer move from the Premier League.
Eberl recently applauded the Portugal regular’s patience, saying: "He accepts everything. He came from Fulham to one of the biggest clubs in Europe. He has a lot of respect and has to get to know everything.
"He will become extremely important for us. There will be crises in form, there will be suspensions. We need João . But João is also a top professional who encourages Aleks to deliver such performances."