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Vincent Kompany waiting on Harry Kane's green light to bring injured striker back into Bayern Munich starting XI

H. Kane
Bayern Munich
Bundesliga
V. Kompany

Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany has revealed that Harry Kane is poised for a return to the starting line-up following a full week of training. While the England captain's availability provides a significant boost, the German giants are currently navigating a triple injury blow sustained during their midweek European exploits. Kompany has expressed relief that the setbacks affecting his key stars are not long-term as the club enter a crucial run of fixtures.

  • Kane poised for Leverkusen return after full training week

    The most significant boost for Bayern ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga game against Bayer Leverkusen is Kane's return to fitness. The striker has completed a full week of training without incident following a period on the sidelines. His return comes at an important time for Kompany, who wants to keep the team's momentum. While Bayern have been scoring freely, with 10 goals in the two games he has missed, the return of their talismanic number nine adds a new dimension to an attack that is currently missing several other key creative outlets due to fresh injuries.

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    Kompany on Kane’s ‘signal’ and injury setbacks

    At his pre-match press conference, Kompany made it clear that the final decision on Kane's participation rests with the player himself. "If Harry gives the signal that he can play, then he will," the Bayern coach said.

    The former Manchester City defender also discussed the team's overall fitness issues, as Alphonso Davies, Jamal Musiala and Jonas Urbig were all injured in the previous match. He commented, "It could have been worse. These aren't long-term injuries; it's just frustrating for the lads because they'd love to be there. You can be as professional as you want, but you also have to respect the fact that the body doesn't always react the way you want it to."

  • The physical toll of Champions League dominance

    With goalkeeper Urbig, who suffered a concussion, ruled out, Manuel Neuer still recovering from a calf issue and Hiroki Ito out with a torn muscle fibre, the squad is stretched. Kompany confirmed that Urbig is expected to resume training "hopefully sometime next week", meaning third choice shot stopper Sven Ulreich will start for the first time this season. Meanwhile, Musiala will "perhaps be able to return early next week". For Davies, Kompany noted: "The international week will help us with Phonzy."

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    Navigating a difficult run before the hiatus

    Ulreich will be in the spotlight in one of the biggest games of the season when Bayern travel to Leverkusen on Saturday. With the international break looming, Kompany's priority is to get through this difficult period without further damage to squad morale or their league position. Following the Leverkusen match, Ulreich may remain in goal for the second leg against Atalanta if Urbig is deemed not fit to feature. The medical team will then use the two-week international break to ensure Neuer is ready for the club's intensive schedule in April.