Bayern Munich will be without young talents Tim Bischof and Lennart Karl for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. According to German publication Bild, while both players are making progress in their recoveries, the match in Paris will come too soon for them to be involved. There is, however, optimism within the club that the pair could be available for selection for the crucial return leg at the Allianz Arena on May 6.
Karl is working his way back from a muscle fibre tear in his thigh, an injury that has kept him out of action since the beginning of April. Bischof, a promising midfielder, is also sidelined with a muscle tear, which forced him to miss Bayern's last two Bundesliga fixtures. Their continued absence adds to a growing injury list for coach Thomas Tuchel, who earlier on Sunday confirmed that defender Raphael Guerreiro will miss both legs of the semi-final tie against the French champions.
The news comes as a blow to Bayern's squad depth ahead of one of the biggest matches of their season. Karl, a 20-year-old defender, has been a sporadic presence in the first team this campaign, making a handful of appearances primarily from the bench. Bischof, also 20, is highly regarded within the club's academy structure and has been tipped for a more prominent role in the coming seasons, making his potential return for the second leg a welcome prospect.
Bayern's path to the semi-finals saw them overcome Arsenal in the quarter-finals, and they now face a PSG side led by Kylian Mbappe and looking to send their departing superstar off with European glory. The absence of Bischof and Karl, alongside Guerreiro, limits Tuchel's options for rotation and tactical adjustments, particularly in defensive areas. The club will be hopeful that the recovery timelines hold firm, offering a boost for the decisive second leg on home soil.
