Canadian Soccer Association Denies Claims Over Davies' Injury as Criticism Intensifies

"Not everything is true."

The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) denied shocking revelations that it failed to protect Alphonso Davies (25, Bayern Munich).

German media 'Bild' reported on the 27th (Korean time), "Following the shocking injury, criticism arose. Now Canada is fighting against the Davies incident. Bayern will have to live without Davies for a long time. This injury is causing many issues!"

Davies was injured during the 3rd-4th place match of the 2024 North and Central America and Caribbean Football Confederation (CONCACAF) Nations League between Canada and the United States held on the 24th. He started the match but collapsed due to injury just 12 minutes after kickoff.

After the match, Davies was seen walking alone, but examinations revealed a torn ligament. The rehabilitation period is expected to last a whopping 6 months. It is virtually confirmed he will be out for the season.

Bayern announced through the club's website, "Davies has a torn ligament. Bayern will have to live without him for a long time after the international break." It added, "Davies received a diagnosis of a torn right knee ligament after returning from the Canadian national team. He is set to undergo surgery today and is expected to be absent for several months."

This is a major setback for Bayern. Starting left-back Davies recently re-signed with Bayern, but shortly after, he collapsed. Bayern successfully retained him by offering a re-signing bonus of €22 million (approximately 34.8 billion won) and an annual salary of €15 million (approximately 23.4 billion won), as his contract was set to expire this summer.

Max Eberl, Bayern's director, sighed, "Unfortunately, there is always a risk that players will return from the international break injured. This time, it is a significant blow. The absence of Davies and Dayot Upamecano is a heavy burden for Bayern."

He continued, "Davies will receive all the support needed for his recovery. Additionally, we will closely monitor Upamecano over the next few weeks, and we expect him to return soon. However, our squad is strong enough to overcome this. Now we will work even more collaboratively. We have the ability to continue pursuing our ambitious goals."

In the meantime, shocking revelations emerged. It was stated that Davies' torn ligament is due to the Canadian national team and head coach Jesse Marsch. Marsch was once connected with the South Korean national team last year. He was mentioned as a top candidate to succeed Jurgen Klinsmann, but took the position in Canada.

Davies' agent, Nick Huws, publicly targeted Coach Marsch. German media 'Sport1' reported, "Davies' agent has made serious accusations against the Canadian national team and Marsch. He criticized that the torn ligament could have been 100% prevented after Davies was injured."

Huws said, "I think Coach Marsch could have handled the situation better. The injury could have been 100% avoided." He added, "Before coming to Canada, Coach Marsch had operated at the highest level. He must know that a player telling him he cannot participate should not be forced to take risks."

He also stated, "I believe Davies felt pressured by Coach Marsch as the captain. He is not someone who would refuse in such moments. Ultimately, Davies played, and they saw what happened." He expressed anger, saying, "The health of the players should be the top priority. The national team must better protect the players."

Philipp Kessler of German 'TZ' also shared similar sentiments. He said, "Davies should not have played against the U.S. I was stunned to see him included in the starting lineup because he said he could not play. According to sources from the Canadian federation, Davies said he should only play a few minutes at most. I clearly stated he should not play at all."

As a result, criticism of the Canadian national team and Coach Marsch has intensified. Bayern is already in a tough spot as Dayot Upamecano is also facing knee surgery, causing fans' anger to soar.

In response, the CSA immediately came out with an explanation. Through a spokesperson, the CSA firmly rebutted, "The coaching staff and experienced medical personnel of Canadian soccer are true professionals. They have always prioritized the safety and welfare of the players. To claim otherwise is simply not true."

'Bild' reported, "Due to Davies' long-term injury, a lot of tension has heightened. Now the Canadian association is responding to the agent's serious accusations and is vigorously defending itself," suggesting that the CSA's recent remarks seem directed at Davies' agent.

Following the shocking long-term injury, revelations and disputes over the truth are now ongoing. One thing is clear: both Davies and Bayern are the biggest victims.

Currently, Bayern's Kim Min-jae is undergoing rehabilitation for an Achilles injury. Moreover, partner Upamecano also requires surgery for a left knee joint issue. Initially, it was thought that a recovery period of around 4 to 6 weeks would suffice, but now it is uncertain exactly when he will return.

Effectively, the starting four defense line has been devastated. Bayern is significantly impacted as they are challenging for the Bundesliga championship and the UEFA Champions League (UCL) title. They are set to face Inter Milan in the UCL quarterfinals in just two weeks.

'Bild' pointed out, "It is clear that Davies' absence is a huge shock for Bayern. At the most critical moment of the season, they must replace their fast left-back. The most likely scenario is Hiroki Itō taking on the left-back role. Raphael Guerreiro and Jošip Stanišić are also options. However, none of them are as fast as Davies."

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