Bayern Munich has accused Canada Soccer of 'gross negligence' in their handling of Alphonso Davies' anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, with the German club's executives threatening potential legal action over the incident.
Davies suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Canada's Concacaf Nations League match against the United States, exiting the field after just 12 minutes of play. The injury will require surgery and several months of rehabilitation, dealing a significant blow to both the player and his club.
Bayern Munich chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen did not mince words when addressing the situation. "Sending an obviously injured player with a damaged knee on a twelve-hour intercontinental flight without a thorough medical examination is, in our view, grossly negligent and a clear violation of medical due diligence," Dreesen told German tabloid BILD. He added that Bayern "reserve the right" to take legal action and has demanded a full investigation from Canada Soccer.
The controversy stems from Davies starting the game against the USMNT despite having suffered a knock in Canada's previous semi-final match against Mexico. Canada head coach Jesse Marsch had told The Athletic before the third-place match that he did not think Davies' injury was "too bad."
Bayern Munich sporting director Christoph Freund also voiced strong criticism of Canada's handling of the situation, describing it as "not professional" and "sloppy." During a press conference on Friday, Freund stated, "It is bitter for us and the way it happened is just not correct. We want to know what exactly happened."
Multiple sources informed The Athletic that Davies felt he was fit enough to play against the U.S. and made himself available for the match. However, Freund suggested this decision was driven by Davies' commitment to his national team rather than his physical readiness. "He is the captain, a young man who wanted to help his team but it was borderline," Freund explained.
The Bayern sporting director also took issue with how the club discovered the extent of Davies' injury. "The second issue is the injury after 12 minutes," Freund said. "Then Phonzy flies back on a 12-hour flight and we all assume it is not a serious injury but then we have this. That is sloppy. It is not professional and we need to talk and clear it up. We are the employers, we pay the players, so we will be looking into what happened."
Adding to the controversy, Davies' agent, Nedal Huoseh, questioned the handling of the situation, stating that the fullback "was not 100 per cent after the Mexico game" and suggesting that as captain, Davies was "pressured to start the game." Huoseh added: "Canada Soccer needs to do a better job managing these players, in my opinion."
In response to these accusations, a Canada Soccer spokesperson said the federation has "always prioritized player safety and wellbeing." They also expressed "full support for our Men's National Team captain, Alphonso Davies, as he recovers from this unfortunate injury," adding that "Phonzie's strength and resilience matches his world-class talent, and we all look forward to fully supporting him during his recovery."
The spokesperson further defended the organization's handling of the situation, stating: "Canada Soccer's coaches and experienced medical staff are true professionals and have always prioritized player safety and wellbeing. Anything suggesting otherwise is untrue."
The Athletic has approached Canada Soccer for a response to the specific comments made by Dreesen and Freund.
