Injury knocks off Alphonso Davies from 2021 Gold Cup

Alphonso Davies is back at Bayern Munich earlier than scheduled after an ankle injury ruled him out of Canada’s upcoming 2021 Gold Cup campaign.

Davies pulled up in training just days before Canada’s Gold Cup opener against Martinique. The 20-year-old will begin his rehabilitation back in Munich, where further tests will reveal the full extent of the problem.

Davies missed seven competitive matches of the 2020/21 season after tearing ligaments in his right ankle. He still managed to make 35 appearances for the record champions, but it remains to be seen whether or not he’ll be fit for the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Bayern kick things off against minnows Bremer in the DFB Cup first round on the weekend of 6-9 August, before beginning their Bundesliga title defence away to Borussia Mönchengladbach on 13 August. They face 2020/21 DFB Cup winners Borussia Dortmund in the Supercup three days later.

The new season will be Davies’ third full campaign of Bundesliga football. Since making his debut in January 2019, he has made 58 Bundesliga appearances, as well as a further 26 in all competitions for Germany’s most successful club.

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A 23-time senior international, Davies has registered four goals and a team-leading five assists in six appearances for Canada in 2021 alone. In doing so, he helped his country reach the third round of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying earlier this summer.

The Bayern left-back was due to play at his third Gold Cup, having finished as the competition’s three-goal top scorer and Best Young Player on his tournament debut in 2017. He produced three assists two years later as Canada reached the quarter-finals once more.