Bayern fear Ito has suffered damage to previously broken foot

Injury-hit Bayern Munich could face another setback as the season enters its critical phase, with defender Hiroki Ito suffering a re-injury to his foot. The Japanese international, who missed most of the season with a broken foot, was forced off in the 3-2 Bundesliga win over St Pauli on Saturday after experiencing pain in the same area once again. With all substitutes already deployed – including Ito – Bayern finished the match with only 10 men on the field.

Coach Vincent Kompany expressed his concern over the incident, saying, "He felt something in the same foot where he had problems before. It is hard to say exactly what it is. He will have a scan and we'll see. It's not good for us." This latest setback is particularly troubling for Bayern, who are already without fellow defenders Alphonso Davies, sidelined with a cruciate knee ligament tear, and Dayot Upamecano, who is out with a knee problem.

Bayern currently lead the Bundesliga with a six-point advantage over Bayer Leverkusen and have seven games remaining. Additionally, the team faces a challenging schedule ahead with their Champions League quarter-final fixtures against Inter Milan scheduled for April 8 and 16. As Bayern aim to maintain their dominant position in the league and progress in Europe, the uncertainty surrounding Ito's fitness adds another layer of difficulty to an already demanding campaign.