Bayern Munich's Christoph Proint criticizes Canada Soccer over Davies injury

The Bayern Munich board has exploded. Director General Christoph Proint addressed the press conference directly with a sharp criticism.

German 'BR 24' reported on the 28th (Korean time) that "after Alphonso Davies' severe cruciate ligament injury, Proint, the sports director, appeared more sensitive than usual. He sharply criticized the Canadian Soccer Association and demanded reforms in the match schedule."

Bayern will face St. Pauli in the 27th round home match of the 2024-2025 Bundesliga at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on the 29th. Currently, Bayern is leading the league with 62 points, 6 points ahead of second-place Bayer Leverkusen (56 points).

The problem is that the impact of the March A-match is substantial. Left-back Davies and center-back Dayot Upamecano have been ruled out for the season. Bayern has lost half of its four starting defenders in an instant.

Max Eberl, Bayern director, sighed, noting, "Unfortunately, there is always a risk that players will return from the A-match break with injuries. Especially this time, it is a significant blow. The absence of Davies and Dayot Upamecano is a heavy burden for Bayern."

The Bayern side could not contain their anger as two key players have gone under the knife. This is especially true because it turned out that Davies' injury was preventable.

As a result, Jan-Christian Dreesen, Bayern CEO, said, "We demand a full explanation from the Canadian Soccer Association regarding the incident. We also clearly have the right to take legal action," and added, "Putting an injured player on a 12-hour flight without proper examination is serious negligence. This is a blatant violation of the duty of care in medicine."

Director General Proint also spoke at the press conference ahead of the St. Pauli match. He sighed, saying, "It’s really bitter. It’s not right. Davies complained of fatigue and seemed to have agreed not to play. Of course, he might have said he wanted to play. However, Davies is a captain and a young player who wants to help his country. Yet, he collapsed from an injury just 12 minutes into the game."

Additionally, Director General Proint emphasized, "Davies returned after a 12-hour flight. We thought it was a minor injury. However, it turned out to be severe. This is a very careless and unprofessional approach. It shouldn’t happen." He added, "We must investigate the incident and clarify what happened."

Davies injured his knee in the 3rd-4th place playoff match between Canada and the United States in the 2024 North American Caribbean Association (CONCACAF) Nations League held on the 24th. He was a starter but collapsed with an injury just 12 minutes into the match.

After the match, although Davies was seen walking alone, detailed examinations in Munich revealed a torn cruciate ligament. The rehabilitation period could be as long as 6 months. Bayern explained, "Davies was diagnosed with a torn right knee cruciate ligament after returning from the Canadian national team. He is scheduled for surgery today and is expected to be out of sight for several months."

Davies' agent, Nick Hussein, revealed it was the fault of Canada coach Jesse Marsch. He said, "Marsch should have handled the situation better. The injury could have been avoided 100%. Player health must be the priority. The national team should protect players better," expressing his anger.

The fact that the Canadian side did not properly assess Davies' injury and sent him on a long-haul flight has also become controversial. The Canadian Soccer Association clarified, "The coaching staff and experienced medical personnel of Canadian soccer are true professionals. They have always prioritized the safety and welfare of the players. Claims to the contrary are false," but it is a clear mistake not to have identified Davies' torn cruciate ligament beforehand.

Director General Proint also left comments that seemed directed at Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korean national football team. BR 24 reported, "Proint reminded that Bayern has consistently faced criticism for not sending players to the national team and not caring about player health. The Korean coach recently faced significant criticism due to Kim Min-jae's Achilles injury, leading to his exclusion from the national team."

Earlier, Kim Min-jae was unable to join the March A-match due to an Achilles injury. Instead of boarding a flight to Korea, he remained in Germany to focus on rehabilitation. Then, Coach Hong Myung-bo commented, "I feel a bit disappointed that Bayern Munich should have taken preventive measures for player protection. There have been ongoing signals regarding Kim Min-jae's injury risks."

However, Director General Proint had a different perspective. He rebutted, "Player health is the most important. We think about what we can do in the best possible way. Then this happens, and the club gets criticized for blocking players from going anywhere. We facilitate almost everything possible."

Furthermore, Director General Proint added, "However, we are also the employers of the players. We pay them salaries. Undoubtedly, injuries can always occur. That’s football. We all know that players reach their limits. But we will explore all options and review them."

Ultimately, it seems that excessive scheduling is leading to player injuries. Director General Proint also argued that reforms are needed regarding the overall A-match schedule and national team travel methods.

He said, "FIFA's A-match break is a fundamental issue. The best players not only play for Bayern but also participate in the Champions League. They then go to the national team and face really tough matches. There are only two days in between." He pointed out that "the match between France and Croatia, which Upamecano played in, lasted 120 minutes and 130 minutes with stoppage time. Injury was just a matter of time."

Director General Proint continued, "Fundamentally, we need to think of something. It’s a matter of player health. If not, the national team will lose its best players. Fans come to the stadium to see the best players, and we must ensure that." He emphasized, "If the only thing we can do is to pray, 'Please finish the match safely,' then something is fundamentally wrong."

It is understandable for Bayern to be angry about losing Davies and Upamecano. Bayern is aiming not only for the Bundesliga but also for the UEFA Champions League (UCL) championship, making the impact severe. Kim Min-jae also faces a growing burden. He has not yet had enough rest, but due to his teammates’ injuries, he is expected to be overworked again.

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