Jerome Boateng’s participation at this summer’s World Cup with Germany is in doubt after he picked up a thigh injury in Bayern Munich’s 2-1 defeat against Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal on Wednesday, according to reports.
Boateng was substituted 34 minutes into the game after he had charged forward and made a long step before stopping, seemingly in pain.
On Thursday, both Sport Bild and kicker reported that Boateng sustained a “structural muscle injury” in the thigh and could be sidelined between four and six weeks.
With the German domestic season ending with the DFB Pokal final on May 19, and the Champions League final being played the following week, the defender is unlikely to feature for Bayern again this term.
Boateng is now also facing a race against time to return to full fitness for the World Cup in Russia. Germany’s preliminary squad, which can include up to 35 players, must be confirmed by May 15, and the final 23-man squad list must be finalised by June 4.
Germany kick off the defence of the World Cup they won in Brazil in 2014 against Mexico in Moscow on June 17, before taking on Sweden and South Korea in their other Group F fixtures.
Stephan Uersfeld is the Germany correspondent for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @uersfeld.
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