Bayern Munich have accused Canada Soccer of negligence after Alphonso Davies returned from international duty with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Defender Davies went off injured 12 minutes into Canada’s 2-1 win against the United States in a Concacaf Nations League third-place play-off on Sunday.
Canada Soccer initially gave the 24-year-old the all clear, but an examination on his return to Munich revealed the injury. The full-back is expected to be out for at least six months.
During a press conference on Friday, Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund said Canada Soccer’s decision to send Davies on a 12-hour flight to Germany before a thorough medical examination was conducted was “borderline” and “negligent”.
He added: “The way things went down was incorrect. We are the employer and also pay the players, so we will investigate.”
In an interview with German tabloid newspaper Bild, Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said the club wanted a “complete clarification of the events”, accusing Canada Soccer of “gross negligence” and saying “we reserve the right to take legal action”.
He continued: “Sending an obviously injured player with a damaged knee on a twelve-hour intercontinental flight without a thorough medical assessment is, in our view, grossly negligent and a clear breach of medical duty of care.
“Phonzy (Davies) is not at fault, he’s the captain and he wants to take responsibility. Canada as host nation of the 2026 World Cup has already qualified, you can’t take risks with a player like him.”
Davies signed a new five-year contract with the club in February to end speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid.
Bayern also lost French centre-back Dayot Upamecano to a long-term leg injury during the international break and remain without captain Manuel Neuer.
