Canadian star Alphonso Davies sidelined with thigh injury suffered with Bayern Munich

Bayern's Alphonso Davies is examined by a medic after an injury during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FSV Mainz 05 and FC Bayern Munich at the Mewa Arena in Mainz, Germany, Saturday, April 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

MUNICH — Bayern Munich may have to do without Canadian star fullback Alphonso Davies for the final five matches of its season.

The Bavarian powerhouse said Sunday that Davies “sustained a muscle bundle injury” in the back of his left thigh during the 3-1 loss at Mainz in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Davies had to come off in the ninth minute.

The 22-year-old from Edmonton pulled up after accelerating past Mainz fullback Silvan Widmer, wasting no time signalling to the Bayern bench that he had a problem.

Bayern did not say how much time Davies will miss. There are just five rounds remaining in the Bundesliga. Bayern has already been knocked out of the Champions League and German Cup and it lost the Bundesliga lead to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

Canada will have its fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.

The 47th-ranked Canadian men face No. 58 Panama on June 14 in Las Vegas in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal with the winner facing either the 13th-ranked U.S. or No. 15 Mexico for the title. They then start play in the Gold Cup with a game June 27 at Toronto's BMO Field against a qualifier before facing Guadeloupe and Cuba in Houston.

Davies has had his share of injury issues lately.

He suffered a hamstring injury in early November ahead of the World Cup but made it back in time to play at the soccer showcase in Qatar. In October, he suffered a cranial bruise in a Bundesliga match after taking an accidental boot to the face from Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham.

The speedy fullback was diagnosed with COVID in December 2021 and did not return until early April last year after developing symptoms of myocarditis, a mild heart condition.

Davies has won 39 caps for Canada with 13 goals and 16 assists.

This report by The Assosiated Press was first published April 23, 2023